THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


.  ^ 


vU/ 


. 


The  young  Ogalalla  formed  a  deep  attachment  for  little  Edith.— Page   17 


Wolf  Ear  the  Indian 


By  Edward  S.  Ellis 


Illustrated 


McLoughlin  Brothers 

New  York 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER   ONE 

"  The  Bullet  had  passed  startlingly  near  him  " 5 

CHAPTER  TWO 

"He's  up  to  some   Mischief,  I'll  Warrant"  .15 

CHAPTER  THREE 

"There  were  fifty  Hostiles" 24 

CHAPTER  FOUR 

"We  are  Enemies"  .  34 

CHAPTER  FIVE 

"What  will  be  their  next  Step?" 44 

CHAPTER  SIX 
'4Ay,  where  were  They?"          ....  ...  54 

CHAPTER  SEVEN 
"It  came  like  one  of  them  Kansan  Cyclones"  ....         63 

CHAPTER  EIGHT 

"The  Bucks  were  Coming  up  alarmingly  fast"  •          •  73 

CHAPTER  NINE 

"He  has  made  his  last  Scout" 81 

CHAPTER  TEN 

"Oh,  there  is  Wolf  Ear!" 90 

CHAPTER  ELEVEN 

"I'm  off!    Good-bye!"  99 

CHAPTER  TWELVE 
What  Happened  to  Wolf  Ear 110 


M3167G1 


Wolf  Ear  the  Indian 


CHAPTER   ONE 

"THE   BULLET  HAD   PASSED   STARTLINGLY  NEAR   HIM" 

BEFORE  relating  to  my  young  friends  the  incidents  which  follow, 
I  think  a  few  words  of  explanation  will  help  them. 
Perhaps  some  of  you  share  the  general  mistake  that  the  American 
Indians  are  dying  out.    This  is  not  the  fact.    There  are  to-day  more 
red  men  in  the  United  States  than  ever  before.     In  number,  they 
exceed  a  quarter  of  a  million,  and,  though  they  do  not  increase  as  fast 
as  the  whites,  still  they  are  increasing. 

It  is  true  that  a  great  many  tribes  have  disappeared,  while  others 

that  were  once  numerous  and  powerful  have  dwindled  to  a  few  hun- 

& 
dreds ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  tribes  that  were  hardly  known  a  century 

ago,  now  include  thousands. 

The  many  wars  we  have  had  with  the  Indians  have  been  caused, 
almost  without  exception,  by  gross  injustice  towards  the  red  men. 
They  have  been  wronged  in  every  way  until  in  their  rage  they  turned 
against  their  oppressors.  The  sad  fact  at  such  times  is  that  the  ones 
who  have  used  them  so  ill  generally  escape  harm,  while  the  innocent 
suffer.  The  Indian  reasons  that  it  is  the  white  race  that  has  wronged 
him,  so  he  does  them  all  the  injury  he  can,  without  caring  whether  the 
one  whom  he  slays  has  had  a  hand  in  his  own  persecution. 


6  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

The  Indian,  like  all  savages,  is  very  superstitious.  He  loves  to 
think  over  the  time,  hundreds  of  years  ago,  when  the  red  men  roamed 
over  the  whole  continent  from  ocean  to  ocean.  He  dreams  of  those 
days,  and  believes  they  will  again  return — that  the  pale  faces  will  be 
driven  into  the  sea,  and  the  vast  land  become  the  hunting  ground  of 
the  Indians. 

Some  years  ago  this  strange  faith  took  a  wonderfully  strong  hold 
upon  those  people.  The  belief  spread  that  a  Messiah  was  coming  in 
the  spring  of  1891,  who  would  destroy  the  pale  faces  and  give  all  the 
country  back  to  the  red  men.  They  began  holding  wild  dances,  at 
which  the  dancers  took  hold  of  hands  and  leaped  and  shouted  and  cir 
cled  round  and  round  until  they  dropped  to  the  ground,  senseless  and 
almost  dead.  Those  "ghost  dances,"  as  they  were  called,  were  car 
ried  on  to  please  the  new  Messiah.  When  the  dancers  recovered,  they 
told  strange  stories  of  having  visited  the  other  world.  All  who  listened 
believed  them. 

The  craze  spread  like  wildfire,  and  before  the  Government  under 
stood  what  was  going  on,  the  Indians  were  making  ready  for  war. 
They  were  well  armed,  and  eager  to  attack  the  whites.  The  principal 
tribe  was  the  Dakota  or  Sioux,  the  most  powerful  on  the  American 
Continent. 

The  leading  chief,  or  medicine  man,  was  Sitting  Bull.  He  was  a  bad 
man  who  had  made  trouble  for  more  than  twenty  years.  He  could  not 
endure  the  white  men,  and,  when  not  actively  engaged  against  them, 
was  thinking  out  some  scheme  of  evil. 

As  soon  as  the  new  Messiah  craze  broke  out,  he  turned  it  to  account. 
He  sent  his  friends  among  the  tribes  and  urged  them  to  unite  in  a  gen 
eral  war  against  the  whites.  The  officers  and  soldiers  were  very  kind 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN  7 

and  patient,  and  did  their  best  to  soothe  the  red  men,  but  matters  grew 
worse  and  worse.  Trouble  was  sure  to  come  if  Sitting  Bull  were  per 
mitted  to  keep  up  his  mischievous  work. 

So  it  was  decided  to  arrest  him.  In  the  attempt  several  people  were 
killed,  among  them  Sitting  Bull  himself.  Danger  still  threatened,  and 
many  believed  that  it  would  require  a  great  battle  to  subdue  the 
Indians. 

Now,  if  you  will  look  at  the  map  of  the  United  States,  you  will  notice 
that  the  Missouri  River  runs  across  the  middle  of  the  State  of  South 
Dakota.  On  the  southern  boundary  of  the  State,  a  large  tract  of  land 
reaching  one-third  of  the  way  westward  to  Wyoming,  and  with  the 
White  River  forming  in  a  general  way  the  northern  boundary,  makes 
what  is  known  as  the  Indian  reservation. 

There  are  many  of  these  in  the  WTest.  They  belong  to  the  Indians, 
and  the  Government  has  an  agency  at  each,  to  see  that  no  white  people 
intrude.  The  Indians  are  forbidden  to  leave  these  reservations  with 
out  obtaining  permission,  and  at  the  agency  they  receive  the  annuities 
or  supplies  paid  to  them  by  the  United  States  Government  for  the 
lands  elsewhere  which  they  have  given  up. 

Hah0  of  the  reservation  directly  west  of  the  Missouri  is  the  Rosebud 
Agency,  and  the  other  half  the  Pine  Ridge  Agency.  It  was  at  the  latter 
that  the  grave  trouble  threatened. 

When  the  discontent  was  so  general,  the  danger  extended  hundreds 
of  miles  north  and  west.  That  section  is  thinly  settled,  and  the  pio 
neers  were  in  great  peril.  Most  of  them  hurried  to  the  nearest  forts 
for  safety,  while  others  waited,  hoping  that  the  cloud  would  soon 
pass  by. 

Your  map  of  South  Dakota  will  show  you  a  small  stream  to  the 


8  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

westward  of  Pine  Ridge,  named  Raccoon  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Cherry 
Creek,  itself  a  branch  of  the  Big  Cheyenne. 

At  the  time  of  the  troubles,  the  Kingsland  family,  consisting  of  Hugh, 
a  man  in  middle  life,  his  wife,  Molly,  his  daughter  Edith,  eight  years 
old,  and  his  son  Brinton,  a  little  more  than  double  her  age,  were  living 
on  Raccoon  Creek. 

The  family  had  emigrated  thither  three  years  before  from  Kansas, 
and  all  would  have  gone  well  in  their  new  home,  but  for  the  illness  of 
Mr.  Kingsland. 

Something  in  the  climate  disagreed  with  him,  though  the  rest  of  the 
family  throve.  He  was  first  brought  low  with  chills  and  fever,  which 
after  several  months'  obstinate  fight  finally  left  him  weak  and  dispir 
ited.  Then,  when  he  was  fairly  recovered,  the  slipping  of  an  axe  in  his 
hands  so  wounded  his  foot  that  he  was  laid  up  for  two  months  more. 

It  looked  as  if  ill-fortune  was  to  follow  him  so  long  at  least  as  he 
stayed  in  South  Dakota,  for  sickness,  accident  and  misfortune  suc 
ceeded  one  another,  until  he  would  have  despaired  but  for  those  about 
him. 

His  wife  was  well  fitted  to  be  the  helpmate  of  a  pioneer,  for  she  was 
hopeful,  industrious,  strong,  and  brave.  She  carefully  nursed  him, 
making  light  of  their  afflictions,  and  declaring  that  all  would  soon  come 
right,  and  that  prosperity  would  prove  the  sweeter  from  having  been 
deferred  so  long. 

Edith,  bright-eyed,  pretty,  affectionate  and  loving,  was  the  comfort 
of  those  hours  which  otherwise  would  have  been  intolerably  dismal, 
when  confined  in  his  small  humble  home.  He  read  to  her  and  taught 
her,  told  her  delightful  fairy  stories,  listened  to  her  innocent  prattle, 
and  exchanged  the  sweetest  of  confidences. 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 


9 


Sometimes  Hugh  Kingsland  wondered  after  all  whether  he  was  not 
the  most  fortunate  individual  in  the  world  in  being  thus  blessed  in  his 
family  relations. 

And  there  was  another  from  whom  the  meed  of  praise  must  not  be 
withheld.  That  was  Brin- 
ton,  now  close  upon  seven 
teen  years  of  age.  The 
ill-fortune  to  which  we  have 
alluded  made  him  in  one 
sense  the  virtual  head  of 
the  family.  He  was  strong, 
cheerful,  and  resembled  his 
mother  in  his  hopeful  dis 
position.  The  difficulties  in 
which  his  father  was  con 
tinually  involved  brought 
out  the  real  manhood  of  his 
nature.  He  looked  after 
the  cattle  and  live  stock, 
galloped  across  the  plains  to 
Hermosa,  Fairburn,  Rapid 
City,  and  other  points  for  ^""^ 

Supplies        Or       On       Other  Well  fitted  to  be  the  helpmate  of  •  pioneer. 

business,  or,  fording  the  Big  Cheyenne,  White,  and  smaller  streams, 
crossed  the  reservation  to  Pine  Ridge. 

The  youth  was  indispensable,  and  did  his  work  so  well,  that  the 
father  occasionally  remarked  that  he  sometimes  thought  of  continuing 
to  play  the  sick  man,  since  it  proved  that  he  was  of  no  account. 


10  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

"I  hope  you  will  soon  become  well,"  said  the  red-cheeked  lad  one 
evening,  as  the  group  gathered  around  the  fire;  "but  stay  here  in  the 
house  as  long  as  you  wish,  for  mother,  Edith  and  I  can  get  along  with 
out  your  help." 

"Yes,  husband;  don't  fret  over  that.  Only  become  well,  and  until 
you  do  so,  be  assured  that  everything  is  going  along  as  it  should. " 

"I  have  never  had  a  doubt  of  that;  but,  ah  me,"  he  sighed,  "this  is 
tiresome  after  all,  especially  when  it  begins  to  look  as  though  I  should 
never  be  well  again. " 

"For  my  part,"  said  Edith  earnestly,  "I  don't  want  you  to  get  well, 
and  I  am  praying  that  you  will  not." 

"Why,  Edith!"  exclaimed  the  mother  reproachfully,  while  her 
brother  did  not  know  whether  to  laugh  or  be  shocked  at  the  odd  expres 
sion.  As  for  the  father,  he  laughed  more  heartily  than  he  had  done  for 
weeks. 

Edith  looked  wonderingly  in  their  faces,  and  felt  that  some  expla 
nation  was  necessary. 

"I  mean  to  say — that  I  don't  mean  anything  bad;  but  if  papa  gets 
well  enough  to  ride  out  to  look  after  the  cattle,  and  is  working  all  day, 
why,  I  won't  have  anyone  to  tell  me  stories  and  read  to  me  and  do  fun 
ny  things." 

'Your  explanation  is  satisfactory,"  said  her  father,  smiling.  "I 
shall  have  to  stay  in  the  house  for  some  weeks — that  is  certain,  and 
perhaps  longer." 

"Oh,  I  am  so  glad!" 

But  with  the  first  clapping  of  the  chubby  hands,  Edith  realized  that 
she  was  doing  wrong  again,  and  she  added  in  a  gentler  voice: 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 


11 


He  turned  his  head,  and  saw  the  figure  "A  a  Sioux  buck  on  his  horse.— Page  14 


12  WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 

"If  papa  feels  bad  when  he  is  ill,  then  I  am  sorry  for  him,  and  will 
pray  every  night  and  morning  that  he  may  get  well. " 

It  was  winter  time,  and  the  Kingslands  in  their  humble  home  could 
not  be  ignorant  of  the  alarming  state  of  affairs  around  them.  They 
had  been  urged  to  come  into  the  agency  while  it  was  safe  to  do  so,  foi 
the  revolt  among  the  Indians  was  spreading,  and  there  was  no  saying 
when  escape  would  be  cut  off.  The  family  had  considered  the  ques 
tion  with  the  seriousness  due  so  important  a  matter. 

Naturally,  they  were  reluctant  to  abandon  their  home  now,  for  it 
would  be  virtually  throwing  away  everything  they  owned  in  the  world; 
but  when  it  became  a  question  of  life  and  death,  there  could  be  no 
hesitation. 

On  the  very  night,  however,  that  the  decision  to  remove  to  the  agen 
cy  was  made,  Sergeant  Victor  Parkhurst,  who  was  out  on  a  scout,  with 
a  squad  of  men  from  Pine  Ridge,  called  at  their  home  and  stated  his 
belief  that  no  trouble  would  occur.  He  said  it  would  be  better  if  the 
family  were  at  Pine  Ridge,  and  he  offered  to  escort  them  thither.  But, 
in  Mr.  Kingsland's  feeble  condition,  he  said  it  would  be  as  well  for 
him  to  stay  where  he  was,  since  he  must  run  great  risk  by  exposure  in 
the  depth  of  winter. 

The  next  caller  at  the  cabin  was  Nicholas  Jackson,  who  had  been  a 
scout  under  General  Crook,  and  was  now  serving  General  Miles  in  the 
same  capacity  at  Pine  Ridge.  He  brought  news  of  Sitting  Bull's  death 
and  assured  the  pioneer  that  every  day  spent  '>y  him  and  his  family 
away  from  the  agency  increased  their  peril. 

'  You  shouldn't  delay  your  start  a  single  hour,"  was  his  remark,  as 
he  vaulted  upon  his  pony  and  skurried  away. 

Before  deciding  the  all  important  question,  it  was  agreed  that  Brin- 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  13 

ton  should  gallop  down  to  the  reservation  and  learn  the  real  situation. 
It  was  a  long  ride  to  Pine  Ridge,  and  involved  the  crossing  of  the  Chey 
enne,  White,  and  several  smaller  streams,  but  the  youth  was  confident 
he  could  penetrate  far  enough  to  ascertain  the  truth  and  get  back  by 
sunset.  If  it  were  necessary  to  go  all  the  way  to  the  agency,  this  was 
impossible,  for  the  days  were  at  their  shortest;  but  he  must  penetrate 
that  far  to  find  out  what  he  wished  to  know. 

When  Brinton  flung  himself  into  the  saddle  of  Jack,  his  tough  and 
intelligent  pony,  just  as  it  was  beginning  to  grow  light  in  the  east,  after 
his  hasty  breakfast  and  good-bye,  he  was  sure  he  would  be  caught  in 
a  snow  storm  before  his  return.  The  dull,  heavy  sky,  and  the  peculiar 
penetrating  chilliness,  left  no  doubt  on  that  point. 

But  with  his  usual  pluck,  he  chirruped  to  his  pony,  lightly  jerked  his 
bridle  rein,  and  the  gallant  animal  was  off  at  a  swinging  pace,  which 
he  was  able  to  maintain  for  hours  without  fatigue.  He  was  heading 
south-east,  over  the  faintly  marked  trail,  with  which  the  youth  was 
familiar  and  which  was  so  well  known  to  the  animal  himself  that  he 
needed  no  guidance. 

Two  hours  later,  the  young  horseman  reached  the  border  line  of 
Custer  and  Washington  counties,  that  is  between  the  county  of  his  own 
home  and  the  reservation.  This  was  made  by  the  Big  Cheyenne  River, 
which  had  to  be  crossed  before  Pine  Ridge  was  reached.  Brinton 
reined  up  his  horse  and  sat  for  some  minutes,  looking  down  on  the 
stream  in  which  huge  pieces  of  ice  were  floating,  though  it  was  not 
frozen  over. 

"That  isn't  very  inviting,  Jack,"  he  said,  "but  the  ford  is  shallow, 
and  it's  no  use  waiting." 

He  was  in  the  act  of  starting  his  pony  down  the  bank,  when  on  the 


14 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INIDAN 


heavy,  chilly  air  sounded  a  dull,  explosive  crack.  A  nipping  of  his 
coat  sleeve  showed  that  a  bullet  had  passed  startlingly  near  him.  He 
turned  his  head  like  a  flash,  and  saw,  not  more  than  a  hundred  feet 
distant,  the  figure  of  a  Sioux  buck  or  young  warrior  bareback  on  his 
horse,  which  was  standing  motionless,  while  his  rider  made  ready  to 
let  fly  with  another  shot  from  his  Winchester  rifle. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  15 


CHAPTER  TWO 

"HE'S  UP  TO  SOME   MISCHIEF,   I'LL  WARRANT." 

THE  instant  Brinton  Kingsland  looked  around  and  saw  the  Indian 
on  his  pony,  a  short  distance  away,  with  his  rifle  at  his  shoul 
der  and  about  to  fire  a  second  time,  he  brought  his  own  Winchester  to 
a  level  and  aimed  at  the  one  who  had  attempted  thus  treacherously  to 
shoot  him  in  the  back. 

The  Indian  was  no  older  than  himself,  sitting  firmly  on  the  bare 
back  of  his  horse,  with  his  blanket  wrapped  about  his  shoulders,  and 
several  stained  eagle  feathers  protruding  from  his  hair,  as  black  and 
coarse  as  that  of  his  pony's  tail.  His  dark  eyes  glittered  as  they  glanced 
along  the  barrel  of  his  rifle,  and  he  aimed  straight  at  the  breast  of  the 
youth,  who,  instead  of  flinging  himself  over  the  side  of  his  horse  in  the 
attempt  to  dodge  the  deadly  missile,  sat  bolt  upright  and  aimed  in  turn 
at  the  miscreant,  who,  as  if  stirred  by  the  same  scorn  of  personal  dan 
ger,  remained  firmly  in  his  seat. 

It  all  depended  on  who  should  fire  first,  and  that  which  we  have 
related  took  place,  as  may  be  said,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 

But  with  the  weapons  poised,  the  eyes  of  the  two  glancing  along  the 
barrels  and  the  fingers  on  the  triggers,  neither  gun  was  discharged. 
Brinton  was  on  the  point  of  firing,  when  the  Indian  abruptly  lowered 
his  Winchester,  with  the  exclamation: 

"Hoof!     Brinton!" 

The  white  youth  had  recognized  the  other  at  the  same  instant  when 


16  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

another  moment  would  have  been  too  late.  He,  too,  dropped  the  stock 
of  his  gun  from  his  shoulder  and  called  out  with  a  surprised  expression, 

"Wolf  Ear!" 

The  Indian  touched  his  pony  with  his  heel,  and  the  animal  moved 
forward  briskly,  until  the  riders  faced  each  other  within  arm's  length. 

"How  do  you  do?"  asked  the  Ogalalla,  extending  his  hand,  which 
Brinton  took  with  a  smile,  and  the  reproving  remark: 

" I  did  not  expect  such  a  welcome  from  you,  Wolf  Ear." 

"I  did  not  know  it  was  you,  good  friend  Brinton." 

"And  suppose  you  did  not;  are  you  the  sort  of  a  warrior  that  shoots 
another  in  the  back?" 

The  broad  face,  with  its  high  cheek  bones,  coppery  skin,  low  fore 
head  and  Roman  nose,  changed  from  the  pleasant  smile  which  gave  a 
glimpse  of  the  even  white  teeth,  *to  a  scowl,  that  told  the  ugly  feelings 
that  had  been  stirred  by  the  questioning  remark  of  the  white  youth. 

'Your  people  have  become  my  enemies:  they  have  killed  Sitting 
Bull,  Black  Bird,  Catch-the-Bear,  Little  Assiniboine,  Spotted  Horse 
Bull,  Brave  Thunder,  and  my  friend  Crow  Foot,  who  was  th^  favorite 
son  of  Sitting  Bull.  He  was  as  a  brother  to  me. " 

"  And  you  people  have  killed  Bull  Head,  Shave  Head,  Little  Eagle, 
Af raid-of-Soldiers,  Hawk  Man,  and  others  of  their  own  race,  who  were 
wise  enough  to  remain  friends  of  our  people.  I  know  of  that  fight 
when  they  set  out  to  arrest  Sitting  Bull. " 

*  They  had  no  right  to  arrest  him, "  said  Wolf  Ear,  with  a  flash  of 
his  black  eyes; "  he  was  in  his  own  teepee  (or  tent),  and  harming  no  one 
when  they  took  him." 

"  He  was  doing  more  harm  to  his  own  people  as  well  as  ours,  than 
all  the  other  malcontents  together.  He  was  the  plotter  of  mischief;  he 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  17 

encouraged  this  nonsense  about  the  ghost  dances  and  the  coming  Mes 
siah,  and  was  doing  all  he  could  to  bring  on  a  great  war  between  my 
people  and  yours.  His  death  is  the  best  fortune  that  could  come  to  the 
Indians. " 

"It  was  murder,"  said  Wolf  Ear,  sullenly,  and  then,  before  the  other 
could  frame  a  reply,  his  face  suddenly  lighted  up. 

"But  you  and  I,  Brinton,  are  friends;  I  shot  at  you  because  I  thought 
you  were  some  one  else;  it  would  have  grieved  my  heart  had  I  done  you 
harm;  I  am  glad  I  did  not;  I  offer  you  my  hand. " 

Young  Kingsland  could  not  refuse  the  proffer,  though  he  was  far 
from  feeling  comfortable,  despite  his  narrow  escape  a  moment  before. 

"I  thought  you  were  a  civilized  Indian,  Wolf  Ear,"  he  added,  a?  he 
relinquished  the  grasp,  and  the  two  once  more  looked  in  each  other's 
faces;  "you  told  me  so  when  I  last  saw  you." 

Wolf  Ear,  the  Ogalalla,  was  sent  to  Carlisle,  when  only  eight  years 
old.  Unusually  bright,  he  had  made  good  progress,  and  won  the  gold 
en  opinions  of  his  teachers  by  his  gentle,  studious  deportment,  and 
affection  for  those  that  had  been  kind  to  him. 

He  spoke  English  as  well  as  the  whites,  and  was  a  fine  scholar.  He 
went  back  to  his  people,  when  sixteen  years  old,  and  did  what  he  could 
to  win  them  from  their  savagery  and  barbarism. 

He  and  Brinton  Kingsland  met  while  hunting  at  the  base  of  the 
Black  Hills,  and  became  great  friends.  The  young  Ogalalla  visited 
the  white  youth  at  his  home  on  Raccoon  Creek,  where  he  was  kindly 
treated  by  the  Kingslands,  and  formed  a  deep  attachment  for  little 
Edith. 

But  nothing  had  been  seen  of  Wolf  Ear  for  several  months.  The 
home  of  his  people  was  some  distance  away,  but  that  should  not  have 


18  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

prevented  him  from  visiting  his  white  friends,  who  often  wondered 
why  he  did  not  show  himself  among  them. 

Rather  curiously,  Brinton  was  thinking  of  his  dusky  comrade  at  the 
moment  he  was  roused  by  the  shot  which  nipped  his  coat  sleeve.  It 
was  natural  that  he  should  be  disappointed,  and  impatient  to  find  that 
this  bright  Indian  youth,  who  had  lived  for  several  years  among  civi 
lized  people,  was  carried  away  by  the  wave  of  excitement  that  was 
sweeping  across  the  country.  He  knew  that  his  twin  brother  and  his 
father  were  still  savages,  and  it  was  easy  to  find  excuse  for  them,  but 
not  for  Wolf  Ear." 

"  You  believe  in  the  coming  of  One  to  save  your  people — why  should 
not  we  place  faith  hi  the  coming  of  our  Messiah?"  was  the  pertinent 
question  of  Wolf  Ear. 

"What  is  this  revelation?"  asked  Brinton,  who  had  heard  many 
conflicting  accounts  of  the  strange  craze,  and  felt  a  natural  desire  for 
an  authoritative  statement. 

"The  Messiah  once  descended  to  save  the  white  race,  but  they 
rejected  him  and  put  him  to  death.  In  turn  he  rejects  them,  and  will 
come  in  the  spring,  when  the  grass  is  about  two  inches  high,  and  save 
his  red  children  and  destroy  his  white  ones.  He  has  enjoined  upon  all 
of  us  who  believe  in  him  to  wear  a  certain  dress  and  to  practise  the 
ghost  dance,  as  often  and  as  long  as  we  possibly  can,  as  a  proof  of  our 
faith.  If  any  of  us  die  from  exhaustion,  while  performing  this  ceremo 
ny,  we  will  be  taken  direct  to  the  Messiah,  where  we  shall  meet  those 
who  have  died,  and  whence  we  will  come  back  to  tell  the  living  what 
we  have  seen  and  heard.  When  the  Messiah  comes  in  the  spring,  a 
new  earth  will  be  created,  covering  the  present  world,  burying  all  the 
whites  and  those  red  men  that  have  not  joined  in  the  dance.  The  Mes- 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN  19 

siah  will  again  bring  with  him  the  departed  of  our  own  people,  and  the 
earth  shall  once  more  be  as  our  forefathers  knew  it,  except  there  shall 
be  no  more  death. " 

Brinton  Kingsland  listened,  amazed,  as  this  expression  fell  from  the 
lips  of  one  who  had  often  lamented  the  superstitions  of  his  own  race. 
That  he  believed  the  words  he  uttered  was  proven  by  his  earnestness 
of  manner  and  the  glow  of  his  countenance.  The  white  youth  carefully 
restrained  his  impulse  to  ridicule  the  strange  faith,  for  that  assuredly 
would  have  given  offense  to  the  fanatic,  who  had  the  right  to  believe 
whatever  he  chose. 

"Well,  Wolf  Ear,  I  can  only  say  I  am  sorry  that  you  should  have 
been  carried  away  by  this  error— 

"By  what  right  do  you  call  it  error?"  interrupted  the  other  with  a 
flash  of  his  eyes. 

"We  will  not  discuss  it.  It  will  do  no  good,  and  it  is  likely  to  do 
harm.  I  need  not  be  told  that  you  belong  to  the  hostiles,  and,  if  trouble 
comes,  will  fight  against  the  whites." 

"Yes,  you  are  right,"  calmly  replied  the  Ogalalla,  compressing  his 
thin  lips  and  nodding  his  head  a  single  time. 

"Your  father  and  brother,  whom  I  have  never  seen,  would  shoot  me 
and  my  folk  if  they  had  the  chance. " 

"Yes,  and  so  would  my  mother:  she  is  a  warrior  too." 

"But  suppose  you  and  I  or  my  father  meet,  or  you  have  a  chance  to 
harm  my  mother  and  little  sister  Edith  ?" 

"Wolf  Ear  can  never  raise  his  hand  against  them,  no  matter  what 
harm  they  may  seek  to  do  him.  I  do  not  have  to  tell  you  that  you  and 
I  will  always  be  friends,  whatever  may  come. " 

This  assurance  would  have  had  more  weight  with  young  Kingsland 


20  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

could  he  have  felt  certain  that  Wolf  Ear  was  truthful  in  declaring  that 
he  did  not  suspect  his  identity  at  the  moment  of  firing  at  him. " 

"I  believe  he  meant  to  take  my  life,"  was  his  thought,  "and  still 
meant  to  do  so,  when  he  raised  his  Winchester  a  second  time,  but  as 
we  looked  into  each  other's  faces,  he  weakened.  His  people  are  treach 
erous,  and  this  pretense  of  goodwill  will  not  last,  or,  if  it  be  genuine  for 
the  present,  it  will  soon  change. " 

After  a  short  pause,  Brinton  said: 

"You  know  where  we  live,  Wolf  Ear:  I  have  set  out  to  ride  to  the 
reservation  to  learn  whether  it  is  safe  to  stay  where  we  are.  What  is 
your  judgment  in  the  matter?" 

An  indefinable  expression  passed  over  the  broad  face  before  him. 
The  Ogalalla  sat  gracefully  on  his  horse,  even  though  he  had  no  sad 
dle.  A  bit  was  in  the  pony's  mouth,  the  single  rein  looping  around  the 
neck  and  resting  at  the  base  of  the  mane,  just  in  front  of  the  rider,  who 
allowed  it  to  lie  there,  while  the  two  hands  idly  held  the  rifle  across  the 
back  of  the  animal  and  his  own  thighs. 

"You  stayed  too  long,"  he  said;  "you  should  have  left  two  weeks 
ago;  it  is  too  late  now." 

"But  you  know  my  father  is  not  well,  Wolf  Ear,"  replied  Brinton, 
with  a  sickening  dread  in  his  heart. 

"What  has  that  to  do  with  this?" 

"  We  did  not  wish  to  expose  him  to  the  severe  weather,  as  we  must 
in  the  ride  to  the  agency." 

"Is  he  better  and  stronger  now ?" 

'There  is  little  improvement  in  his  condition.  He  has  been  ailing 
a  long  time,  as  you  know." 

'Then  you  have  gained  nothing  and  will  lose  all  by  your  delay." 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  21 

Brinton  had  no  further  wish  to  discuss  the  ghost  dance  and  the  com 
ing  of  the  new  Messiah  with  the  young  Ogalalla.  All  his  thoughts  were 
of  those  dear  ones,  miles  away,  whose  dreadful  peril  he  now  fully  com 
prehended  for  the  first  time.  He  saw  the  mistake  that  had  been  made 
by  the  delay,  and  a  faintness  came  over  him  at  the  declaration  of  Wolf 
Ear  that  this  delay  was  fatal. 

His  horse  was  facing  the  northwest,  the  direction  of  his  home.  There 
was  no  call  for  longer  tarrying. 

"Good-bye, "  he  said,  giving  the  Indian  a  military  salute;  "I  hope 
we  shall  meet  in  more  pleasant  circumstances,  when  you  shall  see, 
Wolf  Ear,  the  mistake  you  are  making. " 

Trained  in  the  ways  of  the  white  people,  the  dusky  youth  raised  his 
hand  to  his  forehead,  and  sat  motionless  on  his  horse,  without  speak 
ing,  as  his  friend  dashed  across  the  plain,  over  the  trail  which  he  had 
followed  to  the  banks  of  the  Big  Cheyenne. 

It  was  not  yet  noon,  and  Brinton  was  hopeful  of  reaching  home  long 
before  the  day  drew  to  a  close.  The  chilliness  of  the  air  continued, 
and  a  few  feathery  flakes  of  snow  drifted  horizontally  on  the  wind  or 
were  whirled  about  the  head  of  the  young  horseman.  He  glanced  up 
at  the  leaden  sky  and  noted  that  the  temperature  was  falling. 

"  Like  enough  we  shall  have  one  of  those  blizzards,  when  the  horses 
and  cattle  freeze  to  death  under  shelter  and  we  can  only  huddle  and 
shiver  around  the  fire  and  wait  for  the  tempest  to  pass.  It  will  be  death 
for  all  of  us,  if  we  start  for  the  agency  and  are  caught  in  one  of  the 
blizzards,  but  death  a  waits  us  if  we  stay.  Ah  me,  what  will  become  of 
father,  ill  and  weak  as  he  is?" 

The  words  of  Wolf  Ear  made  the  youth  more  circumspect  and  alert 
than  when  riding  away  from  his  home.  He  continually  glanced  ahead 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


on  his  right  and  left, 
and  to  the  rear.  The 
first  look  in  the  last 
direction  showed  him 
the  young  Ogalalla 
sitting  like  a  statue 
on  his  pony  and  gaz 
ing  after  him. 

Some  minutes  later, 
when   Brinton  turned 
his  head  again  he  saw 
him  riding  at  a  rapid 
pace   towards    the 
north,  or  rather  a  little 
west  of  north,  so  that  the  courses  of 
the  two  slightly  diverged. 

"He's   up    to  some    mischief,    I'll 
warrant,"  was  Brinton's   conclusion, 

"and  he  already  recalls  his  profession 

•? 

of  friendship  for  me.     Halloa!  I  don't 

"He'§  up  to  tome  mischief.  I'll  warrant."        ..,          -        .       ,        „  .,      ,    ,, 

like  the  look  of  that. 

In  the  precise  direction  pursued  by  the  Ogalalla,  which  was  toward 
Rapid  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Big  Cheyenne,  he  discerned  several 
Indian  horsemen.  They  were  riding  close,  and  were  so  mingled 
together  that  it  was  impossible  to  tell  their  number.  They  seemed  to 
be  about  half  a  dozen,  and  were  advancing  as  if  to  meet  Wolf  Ear,  who 
must  have  descried  them  before  Brinton. 

"  They  will  soon  unite,  and  when  they  do  he  will  be  the  fiercest  war- 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


rior  among  them.     I  wonder He  held  his  breath  a  moment, 

and  then  could  only  whisper:    "I  wonder  if  they  have  not  already 
visited  our  home  ?" 


24  WOLF  EAR  THE   INDIAN 


CHAPTER  THREE 

"THERE  WERE   FIFTY  HOSTILES" 

TO  the  westward  the  Black  Hills  thrust  their  vast  rugged  summits 
against  the  wintry  sky;  to  the  south,  a  spur  of  the  same  moun 
tains  put  out  toward  the  frontier  town  of  Buffalo  Gap;  to  the  north 
east  wound  the  big  Cheyenne,  on  its  way  to  the  Missouri,  and  marking 
through  a  part  of  its  course  the  southern  boundary  of  the  Cheyenne 
Reservation,  while  creek,  stream,  and  river  crossed  the  rolling  plain 
that  intervened,  and  over  all  stretched  the  sunless  sky,  from  which  the 
snowflakes  were  eddying  and  whirling  to  the  frozen  earth  below. 

But  Brinton  Kingsland  had  no  eye  for  any  of  these  things,  upon 
which  he  had  looked  many  a  time  and  oft.  His  thoughts  were  with 
those  loved  ones  in  the  humble  cabin,  still  miles  away,  toward  the  tow 
ering  mountains,  while  his  immediate  anxiety  was  about  the  hostiles 
that  had  appeared  in  his  front  and  were  now  circling  to  the  northward 
as  if  to  meet  Wolf  Ear,  the  young  Ogalalla,  who  was  galloping  in  the 
face  of  the  biting  gale  and  rapidly  drawing  toward  them. 

Brinton's  expectation  that  they  would  lose  no  time  in  coming  togeth 
er  was  not  precisely  fulfilled,  for  while  the  horsemen  were  yet  a  long 
way  off,  they  swerved  sharply,  as  though  they  identified  the  youth  for 
the  first  time. 

"They  intend  to  give  me  some  attention,"  was  his  thought  "with 
out  waiting  for  Wolf  Ear  to  join  them.  They  know  that  I  belong  to 
the  white  race  and  that  is  enough. " 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


The  youth  did  not  feel 
any  special  alarm  for  him 
self,  for  he  was  confident 
that  Jack  was  as  fleet- 
footed  as  any  of  the 
animals  bestrode  by  the 
hostiles,  and  would  leave 
them  behind  in  a  fair  race. 
He  noticed  that  the  Ogal- 
alla  was  mounted  on  a 
superior  beast,  but  he  did 
not  believe  it  could  out- 
speed  Jack. 

But  it  would  never  do  to 
meet  those  half-dozen 
horsemen  that  had  faced 
toward  him,  and  were  ap 
proaching  at  the  same 
swinging  gallop.  Brinton 
diverged  more  to  the  left,  thus  leaving  the  trail,  and  they  also 
changed  their  course,  as  if  to  head  him  off. 

"  If  it  is  to  be  a  race,  I  am  throwing  away  my  chances  by  helping  to 
shorten  the  distance  between  us." 

The  fugitive  now  headed  directly  away  from  the  horsemen,  so  that 
both  parties  were  pursuing  the  same  line.  The  youth  looked  back,  at 
the  moment  that  several  blue  puffs  of  smoke  showed  over  the  backs  of 
the  horses.  The  thudding  reports  came  through  the  chilly  air,  and  a 
peculiar  whistling  sound  overhead  left  no  doubt  that  the  hostiles,  great 


The  humble  cabin,   miles  away  toward  the 
towering  mountains 


26  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

as  was  the  separating  space,  had  fired  at  the  fugitive,  who  turned  to 
take  a  look  at  Wolf  Ear. 

That  individual  discharged  his  gun  the  next  moment.  Brinton 
heard  nothing  of  the  bullet,  but  smiled  grimly.  "  He  has  changed  his 
mind  soon,  but  they  have  got  to  come  closer  before  they  hurt  me.  He 
is  no  great  marksman  anyway,  or  he  would  not  have  missed  me  a  little 
while  ago. " 

It  was  singular  that  it  did  not  occur  to  young  Kingsland  that  it  was 
possible  the  Ogalalla  had  not  fired  at  him  at  all.  Not  even  when  the 
horsemen  checked  their  pursuit,  and,  reigning  up  their  animals  awaited 
the  coming  of  the  buck,  who  was  riding  like  a  hurricane,  could  he  bring 
himself  to  think  of  Wolf  Ear  except  as  a  bitter  enemy,  who  for  some 
subtle  purpose  of  his  own  had  declared  a  temporary  truce. 

"I  suppose  they  think  I  shall  be  along  this  way  again  pretty  soon, 
and  they  can  afford  to  wait  till  I  run  into  their  trap, "  was  the  conclu 
sion  of  the  boy,  who  headed  his  pony  once  more  toward  his  home,  and 
put  him  to  his  best  paces. 

"Come,  Jack,  there's  no  time  to  throw  away;  hard  work  is  before 
you,  and  you  must  struggle  as  never  before. " 

The  snowfall  which  seemed  for  ever  impending  did  not  come.  The 
few  scattering  flakes  still  circled  and  eddied  through  the  air,  as  if  reluc 
tant  to  touch  the  earth,  but  no  perceptible  increase  appeared  in  their 
number.  The  nipping  air  seemed  to  have  become  too  cold  to  permit 
a  snowstorm. 

Brinton  had  set  out  fully  prepared  for  just  such  a  chage  of  temper 
ature.  He  wore  a  thick  woollen  cap,  whose  flaps  were  drawn  down  to 
his  ears,  while  they  were  more  than  met  by  the  heavy  coat  collar  that 
was  turned  up,  the  garment  itself  being  closely  buttoned  around  his 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  27 

body.  His  rifle  rested  across  the  pommel  of  his  saddle  in  front,  and  his 
gloved  hand  scarcely  ever  touched  the  rein  which  lay  loose  on  his 
pony's  neck.  He  was  a  capital  horseman,  and,  with  the  understanding 
between  him  and  his  intelligent  beast,  could  have  got  along  without 
any  bit  at  all. 

Strapped  beh'nd  him  was  a  substantial  lunch,  and  his  keen  appe 
tite  would  have  made  it  enjoyable,  but  he  did  not  disturb  it.  It  could 
wait  until  he  learned  the  truth  about  the  folk  at  home,  which  he  was 
now  rapidly  drawing  near. 

Over  a  swell  in  the  prairie,  across  a  small  creek,  whose  icy  waters 
hardly  came  above  Jack's  fetlocks,  up  a  second  rise,  and  then  Brinton 
Kingsland  uttered  an  exclamation  of  amazement  and  sharply  checked 
his  pony. 

"  My  gracious!    what  is  the  meaning  of  that  ? " 

Over  another  swell,  and  only  a  few  hundred  yards  away,  two  other 
horses  rode  to  view,  coming  directly  toward  him.  Each  bore  on  its 
back  a  heavily  muffled  figure,  and  they  were  moving  at  a  rapid  walk. 

Suspecting  their  identity,  he  waited  a  moment,  and  then  started  his 
horse  forward  again.  A  few  paces,  and  despite  the  artic  temperature, 
he  raised  his  cap  from  his  head  and  called  out: 

"Hurrah!  Thank  Heaven  you  are  alive,  and  have  started  for  the 
Agency. " 

His  father  sat  on  one  horse,  swathed  in  heavy  clothing,  and  a  blanket 
which  the  faithful  wife  had  fastened  around  his  emaciated  and  weak 
form,  while  she,  with  Edith  in  front,  and  both  protected  against  the 
severe  weather,  were  on  the  other  animal.  He  had  a  rifle  across  his 
saddle  front,  like  the  son,  and  they  had  brought  with  them  nothing  but 
a  small  amout  of  food,  barely  enough  to  last  them  until  they  could 


28  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

reach  the  agency,  provided  there  was  no  unexpected  delay  on  the  road. 
The  discovery  that  they  were  alive  and  secure  for  the  time,  though 
the  shadow  of  a  great  peril  was  over  all,  so  delighted  the  son  that  he 
could  not  repress  the  shout  of  joy,  as  he  rode  forward  and  greeted 
them,  little  more  than  their  eyes  and  noses  showing  through  the  thick 
coverings. 

"What  made  you  leave  before  I  got  back?"  was  Brinton's  first 
inquiry,  after  a  few  congratulatory  words. 

"  We  concluded  it  was  high  time  to  do  so, "  replied  the  father,  show 
ing  more  vigor  in  his  voice  than  the  son  had  expected. 

"How  did  you  find  out?" 

"A  half-dozen  hostiles  fired  several  times  at  the  house,  and,  then,  as 
if  they  feared  they  were  not  strong  enough  to  capture  us  and  burn  the 
cabin,  rode  off  for  help." 

"They  are  hardly  out  of  sight  now;  they  gave  me  half  a  dozen  shots, 
and  I  had  a  short  chase  with  them.  But  you  are  off  the  trail. " 

"And  so  are  you,"  replied  his  father. 

"  Which  is  a  mighty  good  thing  for  us  both.  You  had  to  abandon 
everything  ?  " 

"Of  course;  I  have  no  doubt  though,"  he  added  grimly,  "that  the 
Indians  will  look  after  the  live  stock  for  us. " 

"  Whom  do  you  think  I  saw  ?  "  asked  Brinton,  turning  to  his  mother 
and  sister. 

"A  big  bear,"  ventured  Edith  from  the  depths  of  her  wrappings. 

"  No;  he  was  an  old  friend  of  yours — Wolf  Ear,  who  used  to  come  to 
our  house  and  have  such  good  times  with  you. " 

The  excited  child  flung  her  arms  about  in  the  effort  to  free  herself  of 
the  encumbering  wrappings. 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 


He  raised  his  cap  from  his  head  and  called  out:  "Hurrah!" — Page  27 


30  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

"  Oh,  where  is  he  ?  Why  didn't  he  come  with  you  ?  Didn't  he  want 
to  see  me  ?  I  am  so  sorry;  isn't  he  with  you  ?" 

And  she  peered  around,  as  if  she  suspected  the  young  Ogalalla  was 
hiding  behind  the  saddle  of  her  brother. 

Brinton  smiled,  and  then  gravely  shook  his  head.  He  said,  address 
ing  his  parents  more  than  the  little  one: 

"  I  was  never  more  astonished  than  to  find  that  Wolf  Ear,  despite  the 
training  he  has  had  at  Carlisle,  has  joined  the  hostiles,  and  is  now  an 
enemy  of  those  who  were  such  good  friends  of  his. " 

The  youth  did  not  think  it  wise  to  tell,  in  the  presence  of  his  sister, 
the  particulars  of  their  first  meeting. 

"You  grieve  me  more  than  I  can  express,"  replied  the  father;  "are 
you  sure  you  are  not  mistaken  ? " 

"I  am  not  mistaken  when  he  told  me  this  himself. " 

"But  you  must  have  met  as  friends." 

"He  said  he  would  not  harm  any  one  of  us,  if  the  fortunes  of  war 
should  give  him  a  chance;  but  he  declares  himself  an  enemy  of  all 
others  of  our  race.  He  has  a  twin  brother,  and  he  and  his  father  and 
mother,  as  Wolf  Ear  coolly  told  me,  would  be  pleased  to  scalp  us.  I 
have  no  more  faith  in  him  than  in  th^m.  We  parted  friends,  but  he 
has  joined  that  very  party  which  fired  on  you,  and  will  go  back  to  the 
house  with  them." 

"And  finding  us  gone,  what  then?" 

"  He  will  lead  them  on  our  trail  and  be  among  the  foremost  to  shoot 
us  down,  every  one  of  us." 

"I  don't  believe  it!"  called  Edith  from  her  wrappings,  which  her 
mother  had  fastened  around  her  again.  "I  like  Wolf  Ear  and  want  to 
see  him." 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  31 

Brinton  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  discuss  the  matter  with  his 
little  sister,  for  a  far  more  important  matter  pressed  upon  them. 

"It  won't  do  to  follow  the  trail,"  remarked  the  father,  "since  they 
will  be  on  the  lookout  for  us.  We  will  bear  to  the  south,  so  as  to  strike 
the  Cheyenne  further  up  the  stream." 

"We  may  not  be  able  to  ford  it." 

"  We  can  follow  it  down  till  we  find  a  place.  It  may  be  frozen  over 
nearer  its  source.  The  agency  is  so  far  away  that  we  shall  have  to  go 
into  camp  before  we  get  half  way  there. " 

"  How  do  you  feel,  father  ?  "  abruptly  asked  his  son,  glancing  keenly 
at  him.  "  Are  you  strong  enough  to  stand  this  hard  ride  ?  " 

"I  am  much  stronger  than  you  would  suppose.  You  know  a  crisis 
like  this  will  rouse  any  man,  even  if  he  is  a  good  deal  more  ill  than  I. " 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  you  talk  that  way,  but  you  will  be  tired  before 
we  reach  Pine  Ridge." 

"Give  yourself  no  uneasiness  about  me;  the  only  thing  we  are  to 
think  about  is  how  we  shall  get  to  the  agency  without  meeting  with  the 
hostiles,  who  seem  to  be  roaming  everywhere. " 

While  they  sat  talking,  at  the  base  of  the  swell,  on  the  summit  of 
which  the  parents  had  first  appeared,  all  partook  of  lunch,  for  it  was 
not  likely  they  would  have  a  more  favorable  opportunity  before  the 
coming  of  night. 

It  was  decided  to  bear  still  more  to  the  south,  with  a  view  of  avoiding 
the  party  that  was  at  no  great  distance.  Indeed,  less  than  half  an  hour 
had  passed  since  they  vanished  from  the  view  of  the  youth,  who  believed 
they  were  waiting  in  the  vicinity  of  the  trail  for  his  return,  and  would 
attack  the  whites  the  moment  they  discovered  them. 

The  halt  lasted  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  when  they 


32  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

resumed  their  journey  toward  the  agency,  which  they  hoped,  rather 
than  expected,  to  reach  by  the  morrow's  set  of  sun.  The  mother  was 
without  any  weapon,  though  she  was  quite  skilful  in  the  use  of  a  rifle. 
Her  husband  said  that  if  he  found  himself  compelled  to  yield  to  weak 
ness,  he  would  turn  over  the  Winchester  to  her,  believing  as  he  did  that 
she  was  sure  to  give  a  good  account  of  herself. 

They  were  plentifully  supplied  with  cartridges,  but  the  reader  does 
not  need  to  be  reminded  of  their  almost  helpless  situation.  Kingsland 
depite  his  brave  efforts  to  keep  up,  was  unable  to  ride  his  pony  at  full 
speed  for  any  length  of  time,  while  the  wife,  burdened  with  the  care  of 
Edith,  could  not  expect  to  do  much  better. 

If  the  company  were  attacked  by  any  party  of  hostiles,  however 
slight  in  numbers,  deplorable  consequences  were  almost  certain.  Their 
hope  would  be  in  finding  some  sort  of  shelter  which  might  be  turned  to 
account  as  a  screen  or  barricade. 

But  their  only  safety,  it  may  be  said,  lay  in  avoiding  the  Indians 
altogether,  and  it  was  to  that  task  that  Brinton,  as  the  strongest  one  of 
the  party,  addressed  himself  with  all  the  energy  and  skill  of  his  nature. 

The  course  was  up  and  down  continually,  though  none  of  the  swells 
in  the  prairie  was  of  much  height.  The  youth  rode  slightly  in  advance 
and  never  made  his  way  to  the  top  of  one  of  the  slight  elevations  with 
out  a  quicker  throbbing  of  the  heart  and  a  misgiving  which  made  the 
situation  of  the  most  trying  nature. 

It  was  the  dread  of  the  hostiles,  with  whom  Wolf  Ear  had  joined 
himself,  that  led  him  to  make  a  longer  bend  to  the  south  than  even  his 
father  had  contemplated.  True,  as  he  well  knew,  they  were  not  the 
sole  Indians  to  be  dreaded,  but  they  were  the  only  ones  of  whom  he  had 
positive  knowledge.  Others  were  likely  to  be  encountered  at  any  time, 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  33 

and  it  may  be  said  that  as  they  drew  nearer  the  agency,  the  peril  was 
increasing. 

A  half-dozen  miles  from  where  the  family  had  been  united,  they 
approached  a  higher  elevation  than  any  that  had  yet  been  crossed. 
Brinton  asked  the  rest  to  halt  at  the  base,  while  he  dismounted  and 
carefully  went  to  the  top  on  foot. 

It  was  well  he  took  this  precaution,  for  his  friends,  who  were  watch 
ing  his  crouching  figure  as  he  cautiously  went  up  the  incline,  saw  him 
abruptly  halt  and  peer  over  the  ridge,  in  a  way  which  showed  he  had 
seen  something.  He  remained  but  a  minute,  when  he  hurried  back, 
pale  and  excited. 

"There  are  fifty  hostiles!"  he  exclaimed  in  an  undertone,  "and  they 
are  only  a  little  way  off!" 


34  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


CHAPTER  FOUR 

"WE   ARE   ENEMIES" 

BRINTON  KINGSLAND,  after  peering  over  the  crest  of  the 
elevation  for  a  few  brief  moments,  turned  and  hastily  descended 
to  where  his  pony  awaited  him.  Without  touching  his  bridle,  he  spoke 
and  the  obedient  animal  followed  him,  while  the  parents  and  little 
sister  anxiously  listened  to  the  report  of  what  he  had  learned. 

"It's  the  very  party  of  Indians  that  we  have  been  trying  to  get 
away  from, "  added  the  youth  to  his  first  explanation;  "there  are  seven 
of  them,  and  Wolf  Ear  is  among  them." 

"Is  he  ?"  eagerly  asked  Edith,  from  her  wrappings  on  the  saddle  in 
front  of  her  mother.  "Oh,  let  me  see  him!  Tell  him  that  I  am 
here." 

"Keep  quiet!  Don't  speak!"  said  her  father  sternly.  "Wolf  Ear 
is  with  bad  Indians,  and  is  a  bad  Indian  himself. " 

The  child  would  have  protested,  but  for  her  father's  manner.  He 
could  be  firm  when  he  chose,  and  she  knew  better  than  to  disobey  him, 
but  she  pouted  just  a  little,  as  she  nestled  down  by  her  mother,  who 
shared,  to  some  extent,  her  faith  in  the  Ogalalla  who  had  spent  so 
many  hours  under  their  roof. 

"What  are  they  doing?"  asked  Mr.  Kingsland  of  his  son. 

"They  act  queerly;  the  party  are  drawn  up  together,  and  looking  off 
in  the  direction  of  the  trail  to  the  agency,  over  which  they  expect  us  to 
pass. " 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  35 

"They  are  on  the  watch  for  us,  of  course:  how  far  away  do  you 
judge  the  trail  to  be?" 

"Several  miles;  it  seems  odd  to  me  that  they  should  ride  so  far 
south,  instead  of  staying  nearer  to  it." 

"It  is  plain  enough  to  me;  they  fear  that  if  we  caught  sight  of  them 
as  we  should  be  sure  to  do,  we  would  hurry  back  to  the  house,  where 
they  would  have  less  chance  against  us.  By  keeping  hidden,  so  that 
we  could  not  discover  our  danger  until  too  far  away  from  home,  they 
could  ride  in  behind  us  and  cut  off  our  escape  in  that  direction.  But 
how  are  we  to  escape  them  ?" 

"We  passed  an  arroya  a  little  way  back;  let  us  take  to  that,  and 
there  isn't  a  minute  to  lose. " 

The  youth  hastily  climbed  into  the  saddle,  and  turned  Jack's  nose 
about,  so  that  he  went  back  directly  over  his  own  hoof-prints.  A  lit 
tle  distance,  and  they  struck  a  narrow  valley-like  depression,  which 
wound  further  to  the  south  than  the  course  they  were  pursuing  at  the 
moment  of  the  startling  interruption.  He  entered  this  at  once,  the 
others  directly  at  his  heels,  the  animals  walking  fast,  but  with  a  silence 
that  made  one  suspect  they  understood  the  danger  that  threatened  all. 

The  arroya,  as  it  is  termed  in  some  parts  of  the  country,  was  a  nar 
row,  straight  passage,  resembling  a  gully,  between  banks  a  dozen  feet 
high.  It  looked  as  if  it  had  been  washed  out  years  before,  by  some  vio 
lent  rush  of  waters,  which  soon  ran  itself  dry,  leaving  the  abrupt  banks 
facing  each  other,  at  varying  distances  of  from  ten  to  fifty  feet. 

In  some  places  these  banks  of  clay  were  perpendicular,  so  that  a 
horse,  once  within  the  gorge,  could  not  leave  it  at  many  points,  while 
in  others,  the  dirt  had  tumbled  in  to  an  extent  which  made  it  easy  for 
him  to  climb  out. 


36  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

The  course  of  the  arroya  was  devious,  and  there  was  no  saying  when 
it  would  terminate  by  rising  to  the  level  of  the  plain.  At  most,  it  could 
be  but  a  temporary  refuge  for  the  fugitives. 

The  thought  occurred  to  both  father  and  son  that  the  Indians  must 
soon  discover  this  refuge,  which  would  be  welcome  to  them  and  their 
animals  while  the  piercing  blast  was  sweeping  across  the  prairie.  The 
eddying  snow  had  almost  ceased,  but  the  wind  blew  fitfully,  and  when 
ever  it  touched  the  face  or  bare  hand,  it  was  like  a  needle  of  ice.  The 
American  Indian  is  one  of  the  toughest  of  creatures,  but  he  does  not 
disdain  shelter  for  himself  and  beast  from  the  merciless  blizzard  or  the 
driving  tempest.  Many  of  those  gathered  about  Pine  Ridge,  during 
the  critical  days  in  '90-'91,  found  protection  in  the  pockets  of  earth  in 
the  gullies,  where  they  peered  out  like  wild  animals  on  the  alert  for  a 
chance  to  spring  at  the  blue-coated  sentinel,  without  risk  to  themselves. 

If  the  arroya  should  hold  its  general  course  southward  for  several 
miles,  the  little  party  might  successfully  escape  the  hostiles,  who  intru 
ded  between  them  and  the  agency.  The  afternoon  was  wearing  away 
and  the  night  would  be  moonless  and  starless.  Our  friends  hoped,  if 
they  escaped  until  then,  to  lessen  greatly  the  distance  between  them 
selves  and  Pine  Ridge. 

A  quarter  or  a  third  of  a  mile  through  the  winding  gully,  and  Brin- 
ton  drew  rein,  and  waited  until  his  parents  rode  up  beside  him. 

"I  wonder  what  has  become  of  them?"  was  his  inquiring  remark. 

"What  does  it  matter?"  asked  his  mother  in  turn,  "so  long  as  we 
can  not  see  them  ?  We  must  be  a  good  way  from  them  now. " 

"I  wish  I  could  think  so,  but  I  can't  feel  easy  while  riding  in  this 
blind  fashion.  There  may  be  greater  danger  in  front  than  we  have 
left  behind." 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


37 


"  What  do  you  propse  to  do  ?"  asked  the  father. 
"  Take  a  look  round  and  learn,  if  I  can,  how  things  are  going. " 
Without  explaining  further,  the  youth  swung  himself  down  once 
more  from  the  saddle,  and  hurried  to  the  edge  of  the  arroya  on  his  left. 

There  was  a  spot  so  sloping 
that  after  a  little  work,  with 
the  dirt  crumbling  under 
his  feet,  he  reached  the 
level  above,  and  was  able 
to  peer  over  a  great  deal 
of  the  surrounding  prairie 
without  exposing  himself. 
The  result  ought  to  have 
been  gratifying,  but  it  was 
hardly  that.  North,  south, 
east,  and  west  the  youth 
bent  his  keen  vision,  but 
not  a  sign  of  the  dreaded 
hostiles  was  to  be  seen. 
They  were  as  invisible  as 
though  they  had  never 
been. 

Had  the  distance  traveled  by  the  fugitives  since  their  fright  been 
twice  or  thrice  as  great,  this  must  have  been  the  best  of  omens,  but  the 
space  was  not  far,  and  it  was  almost  self-evident  that  the  band  was  still 
in  the  neighborhood. 

"But  where  are  they?"  was  the  question  on  the  lips  of  father  and 
son  as  thev  discussed  the  situation,  and  in  the  minds  of  both  trembled 


North,  south,  eait,  and  west  the  youth 
bent  his  keen  vision 


38  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

the  same  answer:  the  hostiles  were  in  the  same  arroya  itself,  behind 
the  fugitives. 

"They  have  ridden  down  the  bank,"  said  the  parent,  "to  shelter 
their  ponies  from  the  icy  blast,  and  are  there  now. " 

"  Will  they  be  likely  to  suspect  that  we  have  been  this  way  ?"  asked 
the  mother. 

"  They  can  not  fail  to  notice  the  hoof -prints  we  have  left, "  replied 
her  husband,  "and  that  will  tell  the  story  as  plainly  as  if  they  sat  on 
the  bank  as  we  rode  by. " 

This  alarming  declaration  caused  Mrs.  Kingsland  to  cast  a  terrified 
glance  behind  her,  as  if  she  expected  to  see  the  ferocious  redskins  burst 
into  view  with  crack  of  rifle  and  ear-splitting  shriek. 

In  the  circumstances,  there  was  manifestly  but  one  thing  to  do — 
push  on  with  no  more  delay  than  was  inevitable. 

The  ground  at  the  bottom  of  the  arroya  was  comparatively  level,  and 
the  horses  dropped  into  an  easy  swinging  gallop,  which  lasted  but  a 
few  minutes,  when  Mr.  Kingsland  called  in  a  faint  voice,  as  he  brought 
his  animal  down  to  a  walk: 

"Hold  on,  Brinton!" 

"What  is  the  matter ?"  asked  his  son,  looking  at  him  in  dismay. 

"I  can't  stand  it;  I  am  not  as  strong  as  I  thought. " 

He  reeled  in  his  saddle,  and  the  startled  son  reached  out  to  prevent 
his  falling. 

"Forgive  me,  father.    I  forgot  your  illness." 

"There — there — I  am  all  right,"  he  murmured,  putting  his  hand  to 
his  face,  in  the  effort  to  master  his  weakness. 

His  wife  was  also  at  his  side,  anxious  and  alarmed. 

"Hugh,  I  fear  you  have  undertaken  more  than  you  can  do,"  she 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN  39 

said,  laying  her  hand  affectionately  on  his  arm,  and  peering  into  as 
much  of  his  face  as  was  visible  through  the  thick  wrappings. 

He  made  no  reply,  and  it  was  plain  that  he  was  nearly  fainting. 
There  was  nothing  his  friends  could  do  for  him,  except  to  help  him  out 
of  the  saddle,  but  they  were  about  to  propose  that,  when  a  slight  but 
alarming  accident  took  place. 

The  Winchester,  resting  across  the  saddle-bow  and  hitherto  grasped 
in  the  mittened  hand  of  the  man,  slipped  from  his  relaxed  fingers  and 
fell  to  the  earth.  The  lock  struck  in  such  a  way  that  a  chamber  was 
discharged,  the  bullet  burying  itself  in  the  bank  which  Brinton  had 
climbed  only  a  few  minutes  before. 

The  explosion  roused  Edith,  who  was  sinking  into  a  doze,  and 
imparted  to  the  man  himself  such  a  shock  that  his  growing  faintness 
gave  instant  place  to  renewed  strength.  He  straightened  up  and  said: 

"  Gracious !  that's  too  bad;  they  must  have  heard  it. " 

"We  can't  tell  about  that;  are  you  feeling  stronger?" 

"Yes;  let's  push  on;  we  must  lose  no  time." 

Brinton  longed  to  force  the  animals  into  a  gallop,  but  dared  not, 
after  what  had  just  taken  place.  But  they  were  pushed  to  a  rapid 
walk,  which  was  kept  up  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  when  came 
another  sudden  halt,  for  the  good  reason  that  they  had  reached  the 
end  of  the  arroya. 

That  singular  formation,  after  winding  about  for  a  long  distance, 
rose  to  the  level  of  the  prairie  and  then  disappeared. 

To  proceed  further  must  be  done  by  exposure  to  any  hostiles  in  the 
neighborhood.  Brinton  stopped  and  looked  inquiringly  at  his 
father. 

"As  near  as  I  can  judge,"  said  the  latter,  "we  are  close  to  the  Big 


40  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

Cheyenne ;  we  ought  to  cross  that  early  this  evening  and  keep  on  to  the 
White,  which  should  be  reached  by  daylight;  then  the  ride  is  not  far  to 
Pine  Ridge." 

"Night  is  near;  we  will  wait  awhile;  the  rest  will  do  you  good,  and 
I  will  take  a  look  over  our  own  trail. " 

Leaving  his  family  to  themselves,  Brinton  headed  back  and  struck 
Jack  into  a  moderate  gallop  through  the  arroya. 

He  was  uneasy  over  that  accident  with  his  father's  Winchester.  If 
heard  by  the  keen-eared  hostiles  they  would  start  an  investigation,  and 
it  could  have  but  one  result. 

"They  must  have  heard  it,"  was  his  belief,  "and  if  so,  they  knew 
where  it  came  from.  It  won't  take  them  long  to  learn  its  meaning — 
halloa!  what's  the  matter,  Jack?" 

More  than  once  the  sagacity  of  his  animal  had  warned  the  youth  of 
the  approach  of  danger.    The  pony  dropped  into  a  walk  so  quickly 
that  the  rider  was  thrown  slightly  forward  in  the  saddle.    Then  the 
animal  pricked  up  his  ears,  took  a  few  more  steps  and  then  halted. 

"That  means  something,"  thought  Brinton,  bringing  his  rifle  round 
to  the  front  and  making  ready  to  use  it  on  the  instant  if  needed.  He 
softly  drew  the  mitten  from  his  right  hand. 

The  gully  turned  sharply  to  the  left,  just  ahead,  and  he  knew  that 
Jack  had  scented  danger.  But,  if  so,  minute  after  minute  passed  and 
it  did  not  appear.  The  youth  became  perplexed,  and  was  in  sore 
doubt  whether  to  push  on  a  little  further  or  turn  back. 

He  gently  twitched  the  rein  and  touched  his  heels  against  the  ribs  of 
his  pony.  He  advanced  a  couple  of  paces,  and  stopped  as  abruptly  as 
before,  his  head  still  up,  his  ears  erect,  while  the  snuffing  nostrils 
showed  that  he  was  wiser  than  his  rider. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


41 


He  came  face  to  face  with  an  Indian  horseman. — Page  42 


42  WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 

"I'll  be  hanged  if  I  don't  learn  the  meaning  of  this,"  muttered  Brin- 
ton  Kingsland,  who,  with  less  discretion  than  he  generally  showed, 
swung  himself  out  of  the  saddle  and  moved  stealthily  forward,  resolved 
to  learn  the  cause  of  Jack's  alarm. 

He  learned  it  soon  enough,  for  he  had  barely  time  to  pass  part  way 
round  the  curve  in  the  arroya,  which  was  unusually  winding  at  that 
portion,  when  he  came  face  to  face  with  an  Indian  horseman. 

The  Indian's  horse,  quite  as  sagacious  as  Jack,  had  detected  the 
presence  of  a  stranger  beyond  the  turn,  and  halted  until  the  latter 
revealed  himself,  or  his  master  reached  a  decision  upon  the  line  to 
pursue. 

Brinton's  great  blunder  was  in  moving  so  impatiently  through  the 
gully  that  he  was  revealed  too  soon  to  draw  back.  Thus  it  was  that  it 
may  be  said  he  almost  precipitated  himself  upon  the  buck  before  he 
saw  him. 

It  would  be  hard  to  describe  Brinton's  emotions  when  on  the  first 
startled  glance  at  the  solitary  Indian  he  recognized  him  as  Wolf  Ear, 
whom  he  had  encountered  but  a  little  while  before.  The  Indian  was 
looking  fixedly  at  him,  and  something  like  a  smile  lit  up  his  broad,  cop 
pery  face. 

"Thus  we  meet,  Brinton,"  he  said  in  his  low  voice;  "will  you  come 
forward  and  shake  hands?" 

"Why  should  I  shake  hands?"  asked  the  youth,  thoroughly  dis 
trustful  of  the  Ogalalla;  "we  are  enemies." 

'That  is  for  you  to  decide,"  was  the  cool  remark  of  the  Indian 
youth. 

He  made  as  if  to  ride  away,  when  Brinton  interposed : 

"Your  actions  do  not  agree  with  your  words. " 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 


43 


"And  why  not?" 

"  After  parting  from  me,  you  rode  away  and  joined  my  enemies. " 
To  the  amazement  of  the  youth,  the  young  Ogalalla  without  a  word 
wheeled  about  and  galloped  out  of  sight  up  the  arroya. 


44  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


CHAPTER  FIVE 

"WHAT  WILL   BE   THEIR  NEXT  STEP?" 

BRINTON  KINGSLAND  was  in  the  saddle  again  on  the  instant 
and  his  pony  dashed  down  the  arroya  at  full  speed. 

"  Wolf  Ear  has  hurried  back  to  tell  the  rest  that  he  has  seen  us,  and 
they  will  be  here  in  a  few  minutes, "  was  the  belief  that  lent  wings  to 
his  speed. 

It  was  a  comparatively  short  ride  to  where  his  friends  awaited  him. 
A  minute  sufficed  for  them  to  learn  the  alarming  tidings. 

"It  won't  do  to  delay  another  second:  come  on!" 

The  next  moment  the  two  horses  followed  the  youth  out  of  the  gully 
upon  the  plain. 

"Can  you  stand  it,  father?"  he  asked,  holding  his  pony  back  and 
looking  inquiringly  at  him. 

"Yes,  my  son,  don't  think  of  me,"  was  the  brave  response,  as  the 
man  struck  his  animal  into  a  gallop. 

The  mother  was  a  capital  horsewoman,  and  little  Edith,  who  was 
now  fully  awake,  once  more  accommodated  herself  to  her  position,  so 
as  to  save  all  embarrassment  so  far  as  she  was  concerned. 

Child-like,  she  wanted  to  ask  innumerable  questions,  but  she  was 
intelligent  enough  to  understand  that  silence  was  expected  of  her  and 
she  held  her  peace,  wondering,  perplexed  and  frightened. 

The  wintry  afternoon  was  wearing  to  a  close.  The  sky  maintained 
its  heavy  leaden  hue,  the  wind  blew  fitfully,  and  was  of  piercing  keen- 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  45 

ness,  and  the  occasional  snow-flakes  whirling  about  the  heads  of  the 
fugitives,  were  more  like  hailstones  than  the  soft,  downy  particles 
which  had  appeared  earlier  in  the  afternoon.  The  view  was  shortened 
in  the  gathering  gloom,  and  the  anxious  eyes  glancing  around  the  dif 
ferent  points  of  the  compass,  and  especially  to  the  rear,  failed  to  reveal 
the  dreadful  horsemen  from  whom  they  were  fleeing. 

The  hope  of  the  little  party  lay  in  keeping  out  of  sight  of  their  ene 
mies  until  night.  With  no  moon  and  stars  to  guide  them,  the  hostiles 
could  not  keep  their  trail,  which  our  friends  were  sure  to  make  as  wind 
ing  as  possible. 

As  the  night  approached,  their  hopes  increased.  Darkness  was 
closing  in  when  they  reached  the  bank  of  the  Big  Cheyenne,  and  for 
the  first  time  since  leaving  the  arroya,  they  drew  rein. 

"This  is  better  than  I  dared  expect,"  said  the  father  in  high  spirits, 
and  seemingly  strengthened  by  his  sharp  ride  through  the  cutting 
cold;  "  I  can  hardly  understand  it. " 

"I  suspect  that  Wolf  Ear  has  made  a  blunder." 

"In  what  way?" 

"He  did  not  think  that  we  would  leave  the  gully  before  night;  he 
went  back  and  told  the  rest.  They  dared  not  attack  us  where  we  had 
some  show  to  defend  ourselves;  they  will  not  discover  our  flight  until 
it  is  too  late." 

While  there  seemed  reason  in  this  belief,  it  did  not  fully  satisfy  the 
father.  It  was  not  in  keeping  with  the  subtlety  of  the  American  Indian 
that  they  should  allow  a  party  of  whites  to  ride  directy  away  from 
them,  when  they  were  at  their  mercy.  Any  one  of  the  hostiles,  by 
climbing  the  side  of  the  arroya  was  sure  to  see  the  little  company  of 


46  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

fugitives  emerge  therefrom,  and  it  was  .nconceivable  that  they  should 
not  take  this  simple  precaution. 

"There  is  something  beyond  all  this,  wnich  has  not  yet  appeared," 
he  said;  "  neither  Wolf  Ear  nor  his  companions  are  fools. " 

At  their  feet  the  river  swept  by  in  the  gathering  darkness.  The  cur 
rent  was  not  swift,  but  pieces  of  ice  lay  against  the  shores,  and  floated 
past  in  the  middle  of  the  stream.  The  opposite  bank  could  hardly  be 
seen  in  the  gloom. 

"Must  we  cross  that  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Kingsland,  as  the  horses  halted 
on  the  margin  of  the  icy  waters. 

"Yes,"  replied  her  husband,  "and  twenty  miles  further  we  must 
cross  the  White,  to  say  nothing  of  smaller  streams,  which  may  be  as 
deep  and  more  difficult.  Pine  Ridge  lies  fifty  miles  away,  and  there's 
no  going  round  any  of  the  water." 

"  It  will  be  the  death  of  us  to  swim  our  horses, "  she  said  with  a  shud 
der;  "we  shall  freeze  to  death." 

"  That  is  not  to  be  thought  of, "  Brinton  hastened  to  explain.  "  WTiile 
the  Cheyenne  has  many  deep  places  at  this  season,  there  are  others 
where  a  horse  can  wade  across  without  wetting  one's  stirrups." 

"How  are  we  to  know  such  fords?" 

"By  trying,  and  there's  no  better  place  than  this;  wait  till  I  make 
the  attempt." 

W7ith  commendable  promptness  he  urged  Jack  forward,  and  the 
animal,  understanding  what  was  required  of  him,  stepped  among  the 
pieces  of  ice  along  the  bank.  He  slipped  on  one,  and  Edith  uttered  a 
cry  of  alarm. 

"Look  out,  Brint!   You  will  fall  into  the  water." 

"Don't  fret  about  me,"  he  called  back. 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


47 


A  few  reassuring  words  to  his  pony,  who  hesitated  and  sniffed,  as  if 
about  to  draw  back,  and  he  continued  his  cautious  advance  into  the 
stream,  the  others  anxiously  watching  his  progress. 

Should  the  water  prove  deep  enough  to  force  the  steed  to  swim,  it 
would  never  do,  for  that 
would  necessitate  the  sat 
uration  of  the  garments 
of  all,  which  meant  freez 
ing  to  death. 

As  long  as  the  ponies 
maintained  a  sure  foot 
ing,  even  though  the 
water  crept  well  up  their 
sides,  the  riders  could 
guard  themselves  against 
the  dreaded  wetting.  Brin- 
ton,  therefore,  ventured 
into  the  stream  with  the 
utmost  care,  his  animal 
feeling  every  step  of  the 
way.  Ten  steps  from  the 
bank,  and  the  water  ~^~~ 

touched       Brinton's       Stir-     Ten  slept  from  the  bank,  and  the  water  touched  Brinton's  stirrups 

rups.  He  withdrew  his  feet  and  held  them  out  of  reach.  He  was  so 
excellent  a  horseman  that,  by  the  pressure  of  his  knees,  he  sat  almost 
as  firmly  in  the  saddle  as  if  with  the  support  of  his  feet. 

"Be  careful,  Jack;  slowly, — slowly — slowly!" 

Jack  was  sniffing  with  his  neck  outstretched  and  his  nose  almost  on 


48  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

the  surface  of  the  water.  The  breath  issued  like  steam  through  his 
thin  silken  nostrils,  and  he  paid  no  heed  to  the  triangular  piece  of  jag 
ged  ice  which  struck  his  hind  legs  with  a  sharp  thrust,  and  then  swung 
clear.  He  knew  his  duty,  and  was  doing  his  level  best. 

The  rider  turned  his  head  and  looked  back.  The  forms  of  his  father 
and  mother  on  their  motionless  horses  were  dim,  and  growing  more 
indistinct  in  the  approaching  night. 

Seeing  him  turn  his  head,  his  father  called  something  in  a  guarded 
undertone,  which  the  son  did  not  catch,  but,  believing  it  was  simply  a 
request  from  him  to  be  careful,  he  replied,  "All  right,"  and  went  on 
with  the  work  in  hand. 

Several  steps  further,  and  the  water  had  not  perceptibly  deepened. 
Brinton,  indeed,  was  inclined  to  think  it  had  slightly  shallowed. 

"We  are  pretty  near  the  middle,  and  it  begins  to  look  as  if  I  had 
struck  the  right  spot  after  all.  Hallao !  what's  up  now  ?  " 

Jack  had  stopped  just  as  he  did  in  the  arroya,  and  with  the  same 
appearance  of  alarm. 

"Can  it  be  that  you  have  scented  a  deep  place  in  front  and  want 
to  save  me  from  a  bath?" 

Brinton  checked  the  light  question  on  his  lips,  for  at  the  moment  of 
uttering  it  his  own  vision  answered  the  query  in  a  manner  that  fairly 
lifted  the  cap  from  his  head. 

A  horseman  was  advancing  through  the  water  from  the  other  side 
of  the  Cheyenne.  He  was  several  rods  away,  but  near  enough  for  the 
youth  to  recognize  him  as  an  Indian  warrior.  He  had  entered  the  icy 
stream,  as  if  to  meet  the  other,  who  in  the  same  glance  that  identified 
him  dimly  discerned  more  horsemen  on  the  bank  beyond. 

As  in  the  former  instance,  Jack  had  discovered  the  peril  before  his, 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 


49 


With  a  wild  cry  the  Indian  rolled  from  his  pony. — Page  50 


50  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

master,  and  halted,  not  through  fear  of  a  chilling  bath,  but  because  of 
a  tenfold  greater  danger  stealing  upon  them. 

It  looked  as  if  the  hostiles  from  whom  they  were  stealing  had  come 
towards  the  river  from  beyond,  and  were  again  between  them  and 
safety. 

If  so  the  question  might  well  be  asked  what  was  meant  by  this  extra 
ordinary  behavior  of  the  red  men  ?  Why  did  they  not  conceal  them 
selves  until  the  fugitives  rode  directly  into  their  arms  ?  Why  take  this 
risk  of  sending  one  of  their  number  to  meet  an  enemy  in  mid-stream, 
where,  despite  whatever  advantage  the  savage  possessed,  he  could  not 
help  yielding  a  portion  of  it  to  his  foe  ? 

But  it  was  a  moment  for  action  and  not  for  conjecture  and  vain 
speculation. 

In  the  same  moment  that  Brinton  recognized  the  horseman  imme 
diately  in  front  as  his  foe,  he  observed  that  his  pony  had  also  halted 
and  the  rider  was  in  the  act  of  bringing  his  weapon  to  his  shoulder. 

The  mitten  was  snatched  from  the  youth's  right  hand  and  thrust 
into  the  pocket  of  his  coat.  He  had  110  time  to  slip  the  other  off,  nor 
was  it  necessary,  since  that  only  supported  the  rifle.  He  hastily  raised 
his  Winchester  to  a  level,  and,  knowing  that  everything  depended  on 
who  was  the  quicker,  he  took  instant  aim  at  the  centre  of  the  dark  fig 
ure  and  let  fly. 

With  a  wild  cry  the  Indian  rolled  from  his  pony,  and  disappeared  in 
the  dark  waters.  His  animal,  with  a  snort  of  alarm,  whirled  about  and 
dashed  to  shore,  sending  the  spray  flying  in  all  directions. 

"Quick,  Jack!  back  with  you!" 

Brinton  flung  himself  on  his  pony's  neck,  and  the  wise  animal 
seemed  to  spin  about  on  his  hind  feet  as  he  galloped  furiously  through 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  51 

the  water  for  the  shore  he  had  just  left.  Nothing  but  this  precaution 
and  the  deepening  gloom  saved  the  daring  youth  from  death.  It  took 
a  few  precious  seconds  for  the  hostiles  on  the  other  bank  to  compre 
hend  what  had  taken  place,  and  when  they  began  firing  the  form  of 
the  horse  and  his  rider  were  fast  vanishing  from  sight. 

But  the  bullets  were  whistling  perilously  near  his  parents,  who  did 
not  quite  understand  what  had  taken  place. 

"Move  further  down  the  bank!"  called  Brinton  in  a  guarded  under 
tone;  "quick!  don't  stop  to  ask  why,  but  do  as  I  say." 

The  parents  obeyed,  and  a  minute  or  two  was  sufficient  to  take  them 
out  of  range. 

"Follow  them,  Jack,  and  move  lively!" 

The  pony  obeyed  promptly,  and  he  too  passed  beyond  danger  for 
the  time. 

The  darkness  was  too  deep  for  the  persons  on  either  bank  to  discern 
the  others  across  the  stream.  The  hostiles  kept  up  their  firing,  in  a 
blind  way,  hoping  that  some  of  their  shots  might  reach  the  fugitive. 
Brinton  had  lain  down  on  the  shore,  so  as  to  decrease  the  danger  of 
being  struck  by  any  of  the  stray  bullets.  He  could  tell  where  the  others 
were  by  the  flash  of  their  guns,  but  deemed  it  best  not  to  fire  for  the 
present,  through  fear  of  betraying  his  own  position. 

The  dropping  shots  continued  for  a  few  minutes  and  then  suddenly 
stopped.  It  was  impossible  to  tell  in  the  gloom  what  his  enemies  were 
doing,  but  he  suspected  the  truth.  They  were  preparing  to  ford  the 
river,  with  a  view  of  bringing  the  combatants  to  close  quarters. 

Peering  intensely  into  the  night,  Brinton  made  out  the  faint  outline 
of  a  horseman  feeling  his  way  across,  and  did  not  doubt  that  others 
were  close  behind  him.  This  must  be  a  particularly  favorable  ford, 


52  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

else  the  hostiles  would  try  some  other,  if  they  knew  of  any  in  the  imme 
diate  vicinity. 

It  was  necessary  to  check  this  advance,  if  he  expected  to  save  the 
dear  ones  with  him.  The  moment,  therefore,  he  made  sure  of  the 
object  approaching,  he  sighted  as  best  he  could  and  blazed  away, 
instantly  shifting  his  position  to  escape  the  return  shot  which  he  knew 
would  be  quick  in  coming. 

It  was  well  he  did  so;  for  the  flash  and  report  of  several  rifles  and 
the  whistling  of  the  bullets  told  of  the  peril  escaped  by  a  very  narrow 
margin. 

There  was  no  reason  to  think  that  his  own  shot  had  been  fatal,  for 
there  was  no  outcry,  nor  did  the  listening  ear  detect  any  splash  in  the 
water,  such  as  marked  his  first  essays  when  in  mid-stream;  but  he  had 
accomplished  that  which  he  sought — he  had  checked  the  advance, 
which  otherwise  might  have  been  fatal  to  him  and  his  family.  The 
form  of  the  horseman  disappeared  in  the  gloom.  He  had  returned  to 
the  shore  whence  he  came,  and  it  was  safe  to  conclude  that  he  would 
not  soon  repeat  the  attempt. 

"What  will  be  their  next  step?"  was  the  question  that  presented 
itself  to  the  young  defender  of  the  ford. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  they  would  try  to  cross  m  the  face  of 
the  certain  reception  that  awaited  them. 

"  They  know  more  of  the  Cheyenne  than  we  do, "  Brinton  Kingsland 
thought,  "  and  must  be  aware  of  some  place  where  they  can  reach  this 
side  without  danger.  If  they  do  succeed  in  coming  over,  there  will  be 
trouble. " 

He  dared  not  wait  long,  for  nothing  was  to  be  gained,  while  he  ran 
the  risk  of  losing  everything.  Only  the  sound  of  the  rushing  water, 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  53 

and  the  crunching  of  the  ice  reached  his  ear.  Rising  to  his  feet  and 
peering  into  the  gloom,  he  could  discern  nothing  of  his  foes. 

"There's  no  need  of  my  staying  here,"  he  decided,  starting  along 
the  stream  in  quest  of  his  parents. 

When  he  had  passed  a  hundred  yards  without  seeing  them,  he  was 
astonished.  Another  hundred,  and  still  they  were  invisible,  and  the 
cautious  signals  he  made  remained  unanswered. 


54  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 


CHAPTER  SIX 

"AY,     WHERE     WERE    THEY?" 

BY  the  unaccountable  disappearance  of  his  parents  and  the  norses3 
Brinton  was  left  in  a  state  rather  of  perplexity  than  alarm.  The 
time  was  so  brief  since  they  left  him,  that  he  could  not  understand  how 
they  had  gone  far,  nor  why  they  did  not  answer  the  guarded  calls  he 
made. 

He  noticed  that  when  in  obedience  to  his  urgent  entreaties  the  couple 
rode  away,  followed  by  his  own  pony,  they  went  down  stream,  that  is, 
in  the  direction  of  the  current.  Surely  they  could  not  have  passed  any 
distance,  and  he  believed  they  heard  his  voice,  when,  making  a  funnel 
with  his  mittened  hands,  he  pronounced  the  words: 

"  Father !    Mother !    Where  are  you  ?  " 

If  they  did  not  reply,  it  was  because  of  the  danger  involved  in  doing 
so.  It  was  incautious  on  his  part  to  shout,  even  in  a  suppressed  voice, 
at  such  a  time. 

The  bank  on  his  left  was  a  little  higher  than  his  head,  and  so  sloping 
that  the  horses  could  climb  out  with  little  effort ;  but,  as  will  be  remem 
bered,  the  night  was  unusually  dark,  and  he  might  pass  over  the  plain^ 
est  trail  without  knowing  it. 

He  ran  some  distance  further,  keeping  close  to  the  water,  but  still 
failed  to  find  them. 

"They  have  climbed  out  of  the  bed  of  the  stream;  something  has 
unexpectedly  occurred,  or  they  would  not  leave  me  in  this  manner. " 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  55 

He  felt  his  way  to  the  bank,  and  easily  placed  himself  upon  the  level 
ground  above.  There  he  strove  to  pierce  the  gloom,  but  nothing 
rewarded  the  effort. 

"Well,  I'll  be  hanged,"  he  muttered,  "if  this  isn't  the  greatest  sur 
prise  I  ever  had.  It  looks  as  if  the  ground  had  opened  and  swallowed 
them." 

In  the  northern  sky  the  heavy  gloom  was  relieved  by  a  faint  glow, 
which  at  first  he  took  for  the  aurora  borealis,  but  a  few  minutes'  scru 
tiny  convinced  him  that  it  was  the  light  of  some  burning  building,  the 
dwelling,  evidently,  of  some  ranchman,  whose  family  had  probably 
paid  with  their  lives  the  penalty  of  tarrying  too  long. 

"A  few  hours  more,  and  father,  mother  and  Edith  would  have, 
no  doubt,  shared  the  same  fate.  It  may  still  be  theirs  so  to  do." 

The  sound  of  a  whinny  from  behind  caused  him  to  turn  his  head. 
He  could  see  nothing,  but  he  was  sure  it  was  one  of  his  father's  ponies 
that  thus  made  known  his  presence. 

It  would  have  been  the  height  of  imprudence,  however,  had  he 
acted  upon  such  a  belief,  after  what  had  so  recently  occurred,  and 
whem  a  safe  and  certain  test  was  at  his  command. 

He  emitted  a  low,  tremulous  whistle  of  such  a  musical  tone  that  it 
reached  a  goodly  distance  in  spite  of  the  gale. 

"That  can  be  heard  further  than  the  neigh,  and,  if  it  finds  Jack's 
ear,  no  one  can  restrain  him  from  coming  to  me. " 

But  though  the  call  was  repeated,  there  was  no  response.  The 
alarming  conclusion  was  unavoidable :  the  sound  had  been  made  by  an 
Indian  pony  near  at  hand. 

Aware  that  his  own  situation,  despite  the  darkness,  was  perilous,  the 


56  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

youth  sat  down  on  the  frosty  earth,  near  the  edge  of  the  bank,  until  he 
could  gain  some  idea  of  his  bearings. 

Within  the  next  ten  seconds  the  whinny  was  repeated,  and  this  time 
seemingly  within  a  dozen  feet,  but  below  the  bank,  and  consequently 
between  him  and  the  water. 

He  knew  what  it  meant :  the  hostiles  had  crossed  the  stream  lower 
down,  and  were  ascending  it  in  the  search  for  the  fugitives.  But  for 
the  fact  that  one  of  the:r  ponies  showed  a  strange  lack  of  training,  the 
boy  would  have  run  right  into  them. 

It  might  be  that  the  reckless  horse  was  a  captured  one! 

They  were  so  close,  however,  that  Brinton  did  not  dare  to  flee,  espe 
cially  as  he  did  not  know  in  what  direction  safety  lay.  He  lay  flat  on 
the  earth,  with  his  head  just  above  the  edge  of  the  bank,  so  that  had 
there  been  any  light  he  could  have  seen  what  was  going  on  below. 

It  is  rare  that  a  night  is  totally  devoid  of  the  least  ray  of  illumination. 
Brinton,  therefore,  could  never  believe  he  was  mistaken,  when,  peering 
down  into  the  gloom,  he  fancied  he  discerned  the  shadowy  outlines  of 
a  horseman  move  slowly  in  front  of  him,  like  a  figure  in  a  magic  lan 
tern.  It  melted  in  the  gloom,  and  then  came  another  and  another, 
until  he  counted  six.  The  sounds  of  the  hoofs  on  the  hard  ground/ 
removed  the  doubt  which  otherwise  he  might  have  had. 

"The  same  party,"  was  his  thought;  "one  is  missing,  and,  if  I  am 
not  mistaken,  I  had  something  to  do  with  his  disappearance. " 

A  different  noise  came  to  his  ears.  One  of  the  bucks  was  making  his 
pony  climb  the  bank  where  the  slope  was  abrupt.  The  labor  was  hard, 
but,  after  a  strenuous  effort,  he  stood  on  the  earth  above.  He  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  others  in  Indian  file,  the  ascent  taking  but  a  few  minutes. 

The  disturbing  feature  about  this  business  was  that  the  whole  party 
had  climbed  the  bank  within  a  dozen  feet  of  where  Brinton  was  lying, 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN  57 

and  they  halted  when  so  near  that  he  was  half  afraid  some  of  the  horses 
might  step  on  him. 

Had  there  been  any  light  in  the  sky  he  would  have  felt  they  were  tri 
fling  with  him,  as  a  cat  plays  with  a  mouse. 

But,  if  the  hostiles  could  not  see  him  or  detect  his  presence,  their 
horses  were  sure  to  discover  that  a  stranger  was  near. 

"It's  too  bad!"  thought  Brinton,  who,  believing  that  his  own  people 
were  safe,  was  able  to  give  more  thought  to  himself;  "it  looks  as  if 
there's  no  getting  rid  of  them.  I  think  this  is  a  good  time  for  me  to 
leave. " 

For  a  single  moment  he  was  certain  he  was  discovered.  One  of  the 
warriors  uttered  an  exclamation,  and  a  slight  sound  showed  that  he  had 
dropped  from  his  horse  to  the  ground.  The  youth  was  on  the  point  of 
rolling  over  the  edge  of  the  bank  and  taking  to  his  heels,  in  the  hope 
that  the  darkness  would  allow  him  to  escape,  when,  to  his  dismay,  a 
tiny  point  of  light  flashed  out  of  the  gloom. 

One  of  the  hostiles  had  dismounted  to  light  a  cigarette,  placing  him 
self  so  that  his  horse's  body  kept  off  the  wind. 

Brinton' s  position  gave  him  a  good  view  of  the  operation.  The  sav 
age  drew  the  match  along  a  portion  of  his  blanket.  The  youth  saw  the 
slight  explosion  followed  by  the  bursting  into  flame.  The  buck  shield 
ed  it  with  his  curving  hands,  which  were  raised  to  meet  the  stooping 
head,  as  it  bent  forward,  with  the  cigarette  between  the  lips. 

The  glare  of  the  diminutive  flame  gave  a  peculiar  tint  to  the  fingers, 
which  caused  them  to  glow  is  if  with  heat.  Then  the  reflection  showed 
the  arched  nose,  the  broad  face,  the  serpent-like  eyes,  and  a  few  strag- 


58  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

gling  hairs  on  the  upper  lip,  with  a  glimpse  of  the  dangling  locks,  that 
were  thrown  forward  by  the  stoop  of  the  head. 

The  glimpse  was  momentary,  but  it  was  clear  enough  for  Brinton  to 
recognize  the  young  Indian  as  Wolf  Ear,  who  he  knew  was  fond  of 
cigarette  smoking,  that  being  one  of  the  habits  he  had  acquired  among 
civilized  folks. 

"I  am  sorry  it  wasn't  you  I  shot  from  his  horse  in  mid-stream," 
was  the  resentful  reflection  of  him,  who  had  once  been  the  devoted 
friend  of  the  Ogalalla. 

The  cigarette  lighted,  the  buck  vaulted  upon  the  back  of  his  pony, 
where  he  could  be  seen  by  the  fiery  tip  in  the  dense  darkness. 

Brinton  wondered  why  the  group  of  horsemen  remained  where  they 
were,  instead  of  riding  away.  That,  like  many  other  actions  of  theirs, 
was  incomprehensible  to  him. 

But  while  he  lay  flat  on  the  ground,  debating  what  he  should  do 
next,  if  indeed  he  could  do  anything,  he  was  frightened  by  the  discov 
ery  that  gradually,  but  surely,  the  figures  of  the  Indians  and  their 
ponies  were  coming  into  view. 

The  explanation  was  that  the  sky,  which  had  been  overcast  all  day 
and  a  portion  of  the  night,  was  slightly  clearing — not  to  any  extent, 
but  enough  to  increase  the  peril  of  his  own  situation  to  an  alarming 
extent. 

"It  won't  do  to  stay  here  any  longer;  I  wonder  why  they  have  not 
discovered  me  before;  they  will  do  it  in  five  minutes,  if  I  remain." 

His  position  was  an  awkward  one  for  the  movement  necessary,  but 
he  had  no  choice,  and  he  began  stealthily  working  himself  to  the  edge 
of  the  bank,  with  the  purpose  of  letting  himself  noiselessly  over  to 
where  he  would  be  concealed  from  sight.  All  might  have  gone  well  had 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


59 


One  of  the  hostiles  had  dismounted  to  light  a  cigarette. — Page  57 


60  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

he  not  forgotten  a  simple  thing.  The  edge  of  the  bank  gave  way  under 
his  weight,  and  he  slid  downwards,  as  if  taking  a  plunge  into  the 
river  with  the  dirt  rattling  after  him. 

The  noise,  slight  as  it  was,  was  sure  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
Indians,  a  few  feet  away.  Brinton  knew  this,  and  he  did  not  wait  to 
see  results.  With  the  nimbleness  of  a  cat,  he  turned  at  the  moment  of 
striking  the  bottom  of  the  low  cliff,  and,  bounding  to  his  feet,  ran  along 
below  the  bank  at  his  utmost  speed. 

Had  he  continued  his  flight,  quick  disaster  must  have  followed;  but 
with  a  thoughtfulness  and  self-possession  hardly  to  be  expected,  he 
abruptly  stopped  after  running  a  hundred  feet  and  again  threw  himself 
on  his  face,  at  the  bottom  of  the  bank,  and  as  close  to  its  base  as  it  was 
possible  for  him  to  lie. 

He  knew  that  he  could  reach  this  point  before  the  hostiles  would 
comprehend  what  had  taken  place,  and  consequently  before  they 
would  attempt  to  pursue  him.  Since  he  had  no  chance  against  their 
fleet  ponies,  he'would  have  been  speedily  run  down  had  he  continued 
his  flight  down  the  river  bed,  for  he  heard  the  sound  of  their  hoofs  as 
they  dashed  after  him. 

The  pursuers  were  cunning.  Their  ears  had  told  them  the  course 
he  had  taken.  Several  forced  their  animals  down  the  bank,  to  prevent 
his  turning  back  over  his  own  trail,  while  the  others  galloped  close  to 
the  edge  above,  all  the  party  taking  the  same  direction.  Thus  it  would 
seem  that  but  one  desperate  hope  remained  to  him,  which  was  to  dash 
into  the  river  and  struggle  to  the  other  side.  But  the  splash  would 
betray  him.  The  water  was  probably  deep  enough  to  force  him  to 
swim.  With  the  thermometer  below  zero,  and  encumbered  by  his 
clothing,  he  must  perish  with  cold,  if  he  did  not  drown. 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


61 


Where  then  was  the  hope  of  eluding  the  hostiles,  who  were  clinging 
so  persistently  to  his  track?" 

There  was  none  excepting  in  the  trick  to  which  Brinton  had  resorted 
and  he  knew  it. 

He  was  no  more 
than  fairly  nestled  in 
his  hiding-place, 
when  the  clatter  of 
hoofs  showed  that 
one  of  the  horsemen 
was  almost  upon  him. 
He  could  only  hug 
the  base  of  the  bank 
and  pray  for  the  dan 
ger  to  pass.  It  did 
pass,  but  it  was  sure 
speedily  to  return.  It 
was  this  belief  which 
led  the  youth  to  re 
sort  to  another  arti 
fice,  that  would  have 
done  credit  to  an  ex 
perienced  ranger  of 
the  plains. 

Instead  of  turning  about  and  running  upstream  under  the  bank,  he 
waited  until  the  horsemen  above  had  also  passed,  and  were  invisible 
in  the  gloom.  Then  he  hastily  clambered  up  the  slight  bluff,  rattling 
down  the  dirt  again  in  a  way  that  sent  a  shiver  through  him.  Had  they 


"  My  own  Jack  !  " 


62  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

been  as  near  as  before,  they  must  certainly  have  discovered  him;  but 
if  the  noise  of  the  crumbling  dirt  reached  the  ears  of  any,  they  sup 
posed  it  was  caused  by  some  of  their  companions,  for  no  effort  at  inves 
tigation  was  made. 

Upon  solid  ground  once  more,  Brinton  sped  straight  out  over  the 
plain  and  directly  away  from  the  river  till  he  dared  to  pause,  look 
around  and  listen.  He  saw  nor  heard  nothing  to  renew  his  fear. 

"Can  it  be  that  I  have  shaken  them  off  at  last  ?"  he  asked  himself; 
"  it  begins  to  look  like  it.  Where  under  heaven  can  the  folks  be  ?  I 
hope  they  have  pushed  toward  the  Agency,  and  nothing  will  happen 
to  them." 

Now  it  was  that  he  detected  something,  so  faint  and  indistinct  that 
at  first  he  could  not  identify  it;  but,  while  he  wondered  and  listened,  it 
resolved  itself  into  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs.  They  were  not  such 
as  are  made  by  an  animal  galloping  or  trotting,  but  by  walking.  Fur 
thermore,  he  heard  but  one  series  of  footfalls. 

A  sudden  impulse  led  Brinton  to  repeat  the  whistle  which  he  had 
vainly  tried  some  time  before,  when  groping  along  the  bank  of  the  Big 
Cheyenne.  Instantly  a  faint  neigh  answered,  and  a  pony  assumed 
shape  in  the  darkness  as  he  approached  at  a  joyous  trot. 

"My  own  Jack!"  exclaimed  the  overjoyed  youth,  flinging  his  arms 
about  the  neck  of  his  favorite,  and  kissing  his  silken  nose;  "  Heaven  be 
thanked  that  you  are  restored  to  me  at  last.  But  where  are  the  folks  ?  " 

Ay,  where  were  they  ? 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


CHAPTER  SEVEN 

"IT    CAME     LIKE    ONE    OF    THEM    KANSAN    CYCLONES." 

AS  he  was  on  the  point  of  giving  up  all  hope  of  ever  seeing  him 
again,  Brinton  Kingsland  was  naturally  overjoyed  at  meeting 
his  favorite  pony.  The  situation  of  the  young  man  would  have  proved 
a  sad  one,  had  he  been  compelled  to  wander  over  the  prairie  on  foot; 
for  he  would  have  been  liable  to  encounter  hostiles  at  any  moment. 

With  the  coming  of  daylight,  he  could  hardly  expect  to  avoid  detec 
tion  by  some  of  the  numerous  bands  galloping  hither  and  thither,  ready 
to  pounce  upon  any  defenseless  settlers,  or  to  cut  off  the  squads  of 
scouts  and  soldiers  whenever  there  was  a  chance  of  doing  so  with  little 
peril  to  themselves. 

Jack  showed  as  much  delight  as  his  master.  He  thrust  his  nose  for 
ward,  and  whinnied  softly  in  response  to  Brinton's  endearments.  No 
doubt  he  had  been  searching  for  his  master  for  some  time. 

"  I  tell  you  old  boy,  there  are  only  three  persons  whom  I  would  rather 
see  just  now  than  you ;  I  won't  mention  their  names,  for  you  know  them 
as  well  as  I  do.  Where  are  they  ?  Surely  they  can't  be  far  off  ?" 

An  examination  of  the  horse  disclosed  the  fact  that  his  saddle  and 
bridle  were  in  tact,  thus,  proving  that  he  had  not  been  in  the  hands  of 
any  enemies,  who  indeed  would  not  have  allowed  him  to  stray  off  in 
this  fashion. 

Brinton  placed  his  foot  in  the  stirrup,  and  swung  himself  astride  of 


64  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

the  intelligent  beast,  who  capered  with  pleasure  at  feeling  his  master 
once,  mo  re  in  the  saddle.  Now  that  such  good  fortune  had  come  to 
the  youth,  he  grew  anxious  about  the  dear  ones  from  whom  he  had 
been  so  strangely  separated. 

There  was  something  in  the  way  in  which  they  had  drifted  apart 
which  perplexed  him.  The  interval  in  which  it  occurred  was  so  brief 
that  he  could  not  believe  they  were  far  asunder.  The  arrival  of  Jack 
strengthened  this  belief,  and  now  that  he  was  in  the  saddle  again,  he 
peered  around  in  the  gloom,  half  hoping  and  half  expecting  their  forms 
to  take  shape  and  come  forward  to  greet  him. 

The  partial  clearing  of  the  sky  continued.  No  snow-flakes  drifted 
against  him,  but  the  moaning  wind  was  as  biting  and  frigid  as  ever. 
The  straining  gaze,  however,  could  see  nothing  of  horse  or  person, 
though  he  clung  to  the  belief  that  they  were  not  far  away. 

But  with  the  conviction  came  the  other  of  the  nearness  of  the  dread 
ed  red  men.  He  had  left  them  on  the  bank  of  the  Big  Cheyenne,  which 
was  not  far  distant,  and  failing  to  find  him  there,  it  was  natural  for 
them  to  suspect  the  trick  by  which  he  had  escaped. 

But  nothing  was  to  be  done  by  sitting  motionless  on  his  horse.  He 
ventured  to  pronounce  the  name  of  his  father  and  then  his  mother, 
increasing  the  loudness  of  the  tone  to  an  imprudent  degree.  This  was 
done  repeatedly,  but  no  answering  call  was  borne  back  to  him. 

Sound  could  not  travel  far  against  the  wind  on  such  a  blustery  night, 
and  they  might  be  within  a  hundred  yards  without  his  being  able  to 
hear  them  or  they  to  hear  him. 

He  had  absolutely  no  guide  or  clue,  and  despair  began  to  creep  into 
his  heart.  He  asked  himself  what  the  result  would  be  if  the  aimless 
wandering  should  continue  through  the  night. 


WOLF    EAR   THE    INDIAN  65 

With  the  rise  of  the  sun,  Pine  Ridge  would  be  still  a  good  day's  ride 
away,  and  it  was  too  much  to  hope  that  they  would  be  permitted  to 
gallop  unchallenged  through  the  reservation. 

"Jack,"  said  he,  addressing  his  pony  in  the  old  familiar  way  to 
which  he  was  accustomed,  "  I  can  do  nothing;  you  will  have  to  help  me 
out.  So  now  show  what  you  can  do. " 

Whether  the  sagacious  animal  understood  what  was  asked  of  him 
can  only  be  conjectured,  but  he  acted  as  if  he  did.  He  threw  up  his 
head,  sniffed  the  air,  pricked  up  his  ears,  and  started  off  at  an  easy, 
swinging  gallop.  Brinton's  heart  grew  light  with  hope. 

"He  must  know  where  he  came  from;  a  horse  can  teach  the  best 
hunter  at  such  times,  and  Jack  understands  what  he  is  doing. " 

The  pony  cantered  but  a  comparatively  short  way,  when  he  dropped 
to  a  rapid  walk,  which  grew  slower  every  moment.  It  was  interesting 
to  see  him  turn  his  head  and  look  from  side  to  side,  for  all  the  world  as 
if  searching  for  something  which  he  was  surprised  he  did  not  find. 

14 You  must  be  near  the  spot,"  said  his  master;  "don't  make  any 
mistake  now,  my  boy." 

He  came  to  a  sudden  standstill,  still  turning  his  head  from  one  side 
to  the  other,  as  if  examining  every  point  in  sight.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  that  he  was  disappointed,  as  naturally  was  his  rider  also. 

"I  know  this  is  the  spot  where  you  left  them  to  join  me,  but  they  are 
gone.  I  can  do  nothing;  everything  depends  on  you,  Jack,  and  you 
must  not  fail  me." 

He  resumed  his  deliberate  walk,  which  was  continued  for  only  a 
short  distance.  When  he  halted  finally,  his  actions  said  as  plainly  as 
words:  " I  give  it  up!  I've  done  my  best,  and,  like  you,  am  at  my  wits' 
end." 


66  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

For  the  second  time  Brinton  pronounced  the  names  of  his  loved 
ones,  and  while  doing  so,  Jack  threw  up  his  head,  snorted,  and  trem 
bled  violently. 

These  signs  were  unmistakable :  he  had  discovered  something.  His 
master  urged  him  forward.  He  obeyed  to  the  extent  of  a  couple  of 
steps,  and  then  refused  to  go  further.  Not  only  that,  but  he  shied  to  the 
left,  and  trembled  more  than  before. 

Brinton  soothed  him,  and  then  leaned  over  the  saddle  and  looked 
into  the  gloom;  and  as  he  did  so,  ne  almost  fell  from  his  seat,  because 
of  the  shock  and  faintness  from  what  he  saw. 

The  first  glance  told  him  that  something  was  stretched  on  the  frozen 
earth  but  a  short  distance  away.  Further  scrutiny  revealed  that  it  was 
a  man  lying  motionless  at  full  length. 

"  It  is  father! "  was  the  thought  of  the  son,  who  was  out  of  the  saddle 
in  a  twinkling,  and  running  forward. 

It  was  not  the  body  of  Hugh  Kingsland,  but  of  a  stranger.  He  had 
been  a  powerful  man,  who  had  made  a  brave  fight  and  had  only  been 
overcome  by  superior  numbers. 

Brinton  did  not  attempt  any  examination  in  the  darkness,  for  there 
was  no  need  to  do  so.  He  uttered  a  prayer  for  the  unfortunate  one, 
and  for  those  whom  he  must  have  left  behind  him,  and  added: 

4 Thank  Heaven,  it  is  not  father!    But  who  can  say  how  soon  he, 
too,  shall  not  be  thus  cut  down  with  mother  and  little  Edith  ?" 

He  remembered  that  although  this  tragedy  had  taken  place  so  near 
him,  and  within  the  last  hour  or  two,  he  had  heard  no  reports  of  guns 
nor  any  sounds  of  conflict.  That,  however,  was  accounted  for  by  the 
direction  of  the  wind,  as  already  explained. 

Really  nothing  seemed  left  for  him  to  do.     He  had  done  every. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


67 


"It  is  father!"  was  the  thought  of  the  son."— Page  66 


68  WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 

thing  in  his  power  to  find  his  friends  and  failed.    As  long  as  night  con 
tinued  the  faculty  of  vision  was  useless  to  him. 

"Well,  Jack,"  he  said  despairingly,  "do  as  you  choose;  I  am  help 
less." 

As  if  in  smypathy  with  his  young  master,  the  pony  moved  off  on  a 
slow  walk,  which  he  kept  up  until,  by  some  means,  which  Brinton 
hardly  understood,  he  clambered  down  into  a  gully,  similar  to  the 
arroya  in  which  they  had  taken  shelter  that  afternoon.  In  doing  this, 
't  is  probable  that  the  animal  was  guided  by  that  instinct  which  often 
prompts  his  kind  to  seek  shelter  from  the  severity  of  the  weather,  for 
the  refuge  was  a  welcome  one  to  the  rider  as  well  as  to  the  pony. 

During  all  this  time  Brinton  had  been  signaling  and  calling  to  his 
parents,  but  in  vain.  The  continued  failure  to  get  a  reply  led  him  to 
decide  that  nothing  more  could  be  done  before  morning. 

He  flung  himself  off  his  pony,  and  made  ready  to  remain  where  he 
was  until  then.  The  gully  was  narrow,  and  the  banks  at  the  point 
where  he  drew  rein  were  high  enough  to  shut  out  the  gale.  Food  for 
himself  and  horse  was  out  of  the  question,  and  neither  was  suffering 
for  want  of  it.  The  Big  Cheyenne  had  given  them  all  the  water  they 
wanted;  and  physically,  therefore,  nothing  in  their  condition  was  spe 
cially  unpleasant. 

It  would  have  been  a  great  comfort  to  have  had  a  fire  by  which  to 
nestle  down,  but  two  causes  rendered  this  impossible:  no  material  was 
within  reach,  and,  if  there  had  been,  he  would  not  have  dared  to  kin 
dle  it. 

Jack's  saddle  was  removed,  and,  in  obedience  to  the  command  of 
his  master,  he  lay  down  on  the  flinty  earth,  while  Brinton  disposed 
himself  so  as  to  receive  a  part  of  the  warmth  of  his  body.  Thus,  with 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN  69 

the  help  of  his  own  thick  clothing,  his  situation  was  more  comfortable 
than  would  be  supposed. 

Despite  his  worry  and  anxiety,  he  soon  fell  asleep,  and  did  not  open 
his  eyes  again  until  the  grey  light  of  the  wintry  morning  was  stealing 
through  the  gully.  He  was  chilled  and  cramped  by  his  exposure,  but 
leaping  to  his  feet,  he  soon  restored  his  bemnubed  circulation.  Jack, 
seeing  his  master  astir,  sprang  up,  and  looked  at  him  as  if  to  announce 
that  he  was  ready  for  any  work  that  was  before  them. 

"Well,  my  boy,  we  shall  have  to  go  without  our  breakfast,  but  you 
and  I  can  stand  that,  I  reckon,  for  this  thing  must  end  before  we  are 
many  hours  older 

"Well,  I'll  be  shot!" 

The  exclamation  was  uttered  by  a  horseman,  who  at  that  moment 
rode  into  sight  in  the  gully  and  checked  his  animal  only  a  couple  of 
rods  distant,  adding — 

"I  didn't  expect  to  meet  you  here,  Brint;  where  are  the  rest  of  the 
folks?" 

"That's  what  I  would  like  to  know.  I  am  worried  to  death,  Nick; 
can't  you  help  me?" 

"I'll  do  anything  I  can,  my  lad,  but  what  is  it  ?" 

The  newcomer  was  Nicholas  Jackson,  serving  as  a  scout  for  General 
Miles.  It  will  be  remembered  that  it  was  he  who  stopped  at  the  home 
of  the  Kingslands  a  short  time  before  and  warned  them  of  their  danger. 
Had  his  advice  been  heeded,  they  would  not  have  been  in  such  sore 
straits  at  this  time. 

Brinton  quickly  told  of  his  strange  experience  of  the  night  before  and 
his  perplexity  as  to  what  he  should  do. 

"I  don't  think  anything  has  happened  to  them,"  was  the  reassuring 


70  WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 

response  of  Jackson,  "for  the  darkness  was  in  their  favor.  They  are 
somewhere  in  these  gullies,  hiding  just  as  you  did,  and  dare  not  show 
themselves. " 

"But  how  are  we  to  find  them  ?" 

"There  is  only  one  way  that  I  know  of — look  for  them." 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  Nick?" 

"  We  learned  at  Wounded  Knee  that  a  company  with  supplies  was 
to  come  from  Rapid  City  and  I  have  been  sent  out  on  a  scout;  an  escort 
is  coming  to  bring  them  into  camp.  You  have  heard  of  the  battle  of 
Wounded  Knee  Creek,  I  suppose?" 

"Not  a  word." 

The  old  scout  compressed  his  lips  and  shook  his  head. 

"I  have  been  in  a  good  many  scrimmages  under  Generals  Crook 
and  Miles,  but  that  was  the  hottest  half -hour  I  ever  spent. " 

"How  was  it,  Nick?" 

"  You  know  that  the  hostiles  have  been  gathering  in  the  Bad  Lands 
ever  since  this  trouble  began.  We  have  them  pretty  well  surrounded, 
but  there  must  be  a  big  fight  before  we  wind  up  this  serious  business. 
Two  days  before  Christmas  word  reached  us  that  three  thousand  Indi 
ans,  including  six  hundred  bucks,  were  there.  You  can  understand 
how  much  relief  it  was,  therefore,  to  learn  that  Big  Foot,  with  a  lot  of 
Sitting  Bull's  fugitives  on  Cherry  Creek  Reservation,  had  surrendered 
to  Colonel  Sumner. 

"That  was  all  well  enough,  but  while  conducting  the  band  of  two 
hundred  to  the  Missouri,  the  next  day,  the  whole  lot  escaped  and  hur 
ried  south  to  join  Kicking  Bear  and  the  rest  of  the  hostiles.  Then  the 
trouble  began. 

"Four  days  later  Little  Bat,  one  of  our  Indian  scouts,  discovered 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


71 


Big  Foot  and  his  band  eight  miles  north  of  Major  Whiteside's  camp 
on  Wounded  Knee  Creek,  and  four  troops  of  the  Seventh  Cavalry 
started  for  them,  with  me  among  them. 

"As  the  hostiles  spied  us  they  formed  a  long  battle  line,  all  with  guns 
and  knives,  the  knives  be 
ing  carried   in  their   cart 
ridge    belts    outside    their 
blankets. 

"I  tell  you,  Brint,  things 
looked  squally.  We  could 
see  the  gleam  of  their  black 
eyes,  and  the  way  they 
scowled  and  glared  at  us 
showed  that  nothing  would 
suit  them  better  than  to 
drive  their  knives  to  the 
hilts  into  every  one  of  us. 

"But  Major  Whiteside 
meant  business.  He  drew 
us  up,  too,  in  battle  line. 
Just  then  Big  Foot  was 

Seen     COming     forward     On  The  newcomer  was  Nicholas  Jackson 

foot.  The  major  dropped  down  from  his  saddle  and  went  forward 
to  meet  him. 

*  Me  ill, '  said  Big  Foot.     'Me  want  peace — my  people  want  peace, 
they  want  peace—       The  major  was  impatient. 

"I  won't  talk  or  parley  with  you,'  he  said;  'it  is  fight  or  surrender; 
I  await  your  answer.' 


72  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

'We  surrender — we  done  so  before,  but  we  could  not  find  you,' 
said  Big  Foot. 

"  I  had  my  eye  on  the  chief,  who  just  then  turned  and  motioned  with 
his  arm  to  his  own  battle  line.  They  seemed  to  be  looking  for  the  sig 
nal,  because  the  white  flag  was  shown  at  once.  We  rode  forward  quick 
like  and  surrounded  them,  and  a  courier  was  sent  off  post  haste  for  the 
four  troops  of  the  Seventh,  and  Lieutenant  Taylor's  scouts  to  help 
guard  and  disarm  the  party.  They  arrived  the  same  day.  Big  Foot 
had  one  hundred  and  fifty  warriors  fully  armed,  with  two  hundred  and 
fifty  squaws  and  many  children.  Despite  the  surrender,  we  all  knowed 
trouble  was  coming,  and  it  was  not  long  before  it  came,  like  one  of 
them  Kansan  cyclones." 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  73 


CHAPTER  EIGHT 

"THE  BUCKS  WERE  COMING  UP  ALARMINGLY  FAST." 

"  T  T  THEN  General  Forsyth  arrived, "  continued  the  scout,  describ- 
V  V  ing  the  battle  of  Wounded  Knee  Creek,  "he  ordered  the 
male  Indians  to  come  for  a  talk.  They  came  out  scowling  and  sullen, 
and  gathered  in  a  half -circle  in  front  of  Big  Foot's  tent.  The  chief  was 
inside,  ill  with  pneumonia. 

"The  general  told  them  they  must  surrender  their  arms  in  groups  of 
twenty.  By  this  time  they  were  thoroughly  enraged,  but  most  of  our 
boys  thought  they  were  so  cowed  they  would  obey  without  much  trou 
ble.  I  didn't  like  their  looks,  and  told  Jenkins  at  my  side  to  hold  him 
self  ready,  for  I  believed  them  fellows  meant  mischief,  and  a  fight  was 
sure  to  come. 

' '  I  guess  not, '  he  answered ;  'they're  obeying  orders. ' 
"  The  first  score  slunk  back  without  a  word.    We  waited  a  long  time, 
and  by  and  by  they  came  out  agin,  and  how  many  guns  do  you  'spose 
they  brought  with  'em?     Just  two  miserable  pieces,  worth  so  much 
old  iron. 

'The  major  was  impatient  because  of  the  delay,  and,  when  he  saw 
this,  he  was  anrgy  too.  He  turned  and  talked  a  few  minutes  with  Gen 
eral  Forsyth,  both  speaking  so  low  that  I  couldn't  catch  what  they  said 
though  I  seen  the  general  was  as  angry  as  the  major,  but  he  kept  cool. 
You  see  the  major  was  managing  the  business,  but  he  made  sure  that 
everything  was  done  as  General  Forsyth  wanted  it. 


74 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


"  The  cavalry  was  now  ordered  to  dismount,  and  they  done  so,  form 
ing  a  square  about  fifty  feet  back  and  closed  in,  standing  within  a  half- 
dozen  rods  of  the  Indians  that  was  in  the  centre. 

"It  was  plain  that  the  Indians  didn't  mean  to  obey  orders,  though 

they  pretended  to.  Accord 
ingly  a  body  of  cavalry  was 
sent  to  make  the  search  them 
selves.  When  they  came  out, 
which  they  did  in  a  few  min 
utes,  they  brought  sixty  good 
rifles  with  them.  That  was 
doing  the  business  up  in  style ; 
but  the  general  and  the  major 
didn't  intend  there  should  be 
any  half-way  work  about  it. 
The  soldiers  were  directed  to 
search  the  bucks  themselves, 
for  there  was  no  doubt  that 
all  of  'em  had  their  guns  hid 
den  in  their  blankets. 

"The  Sioux  stood  scowling 
and  ugly  and  savage.  When 
about  a  dozen  had  been 
searched  and  their  rifles 
brought  out,  they  couldn't 
stand  it.  They  were  furious. 
Like  a  flash,  the  rest  of  'em 

Just  two  mUerable  pieces,  worth  so  much  old  iron          whipped  OUt    their  gUUS 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  75 

under  their  blankets  and  let  fly  at  us.  It  was  so  sudden  that  before 
we  knew  what  it  meant,  a  hundred  guns  had  been  fired  and  the 
reports  sounded  like  one  volley. 

"It  was  all  done  in  a  twinkling.  There  we  were,  close  enough  to 
almost  touch  the  redskins,  and  the  flash  of  their  rifles  was  right  in  our 
faces.  I  remember  that  I  was  looking  into  the  muzzle  of  one  of  'em, 
when  the  gun  went  off,  and  I  felt  the  bullet  nip  my  ear;  but  others  were 
not  so  fortunate,  and  the  poor  boys  dropped  as  though  so  many  thun 
derbolts  had  fallen  among  'em. 

"It  didn't  take  long,  howsumever,  to  get  in  our  work. 

"I  can  tell  you,"  added  Scout  Jackson,  "there  was  lively  times  for 
twenty  minutes  or  a  half  an  hour.  During  the  battle  we  stood  off  some 
distance  when  firing  at  each  other,  but  it  was  like  you  and  me  standing 
near  enough  to  shake  hands  almost,  and  blazing  away.  Them  red 
skins  fought  hard.  It  was  bang,  bang,  with  the  soldiers  dropping  all 
around,  and  no  saying  when  your  own  turn  would  come. 

"But  the  hostiles  got  the  worst  of  it.  Some  of  'em,  seeing  how  it 
was  going,  broke  through  our  lines  and  dashed  for  the  hills  to  the  south 
west.  We  followed  them  and  the  fighting  kept  up  as  bad  as  ever,  but 
the  shots  wasn't  so  rapid;  we  lost  about  thirty  men,  and  more  than  that 
wounded,  and  of  them  some  are  likely  to  die. " 

"Where  were  the  squaws  and  the  children  during  the  fight  ?"  asked 
Brinton. 

An  expression  of  scorn  passed  over  the  face  of  the  scout. 

"  Where  were  they  ?  Fighting  like  so  many  wild  cats.  You'll  be 
told  that  we  chased  and  shot  down  women  and  children.  There's  no 
question  that  a  big  lot  of  'em  was  killed,  and  how  was  it  to  be  helped  ? 
Them  squaws  was  dressed  so  much  like  the  bucks  that  you  couldn't 


76  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

be  certain  which  was  which.      From  the  way  they  fought,  you  might 
have  believed  each  one  was  ten  bucks  rolled  into  one. 

"But  of  course  we  cleaned  'em  out,  for  that's  what  the  Seventh  does 
always,  when  it  undertakes  that  sort  of  thing.  From  what  I've  told 
you,  you'll  know  there  was  hot  work  for  a  time.  A  youngster  about 
like  yourself  had  charge  of  a  Hotchkiss  gun,  and  the  way  he  handled 
it  all  through  the  fight  made  us  feel  like  cheering,  even  when  we  didn't 
dare  to  stop  shooting  long  enough  to  do  so. 

"  When  the  Sioux  fled,  this  youngster  dragged  his  gun  from  the  knoll 
where  he  had  been  stationed.  Lieutenant  Hawthorne  was  at  his  side, 
and  the  fighting  had  become  skirmishing  on  the  crests  of  the  ravines, 
where  Big  Foot's  band  had  taken  refuge.  The  bullets  were  singing 
and  whistling  through  the  air,  but  that  boy  wheeled  his  Hotchkiss  to 
the  mouth  of  the  gulch,  where  the  firing  was  the  heaviest.  The  minute 
he  done  this,  he  and  the  men  attached  to  the  gun  became  the  targets  of 
the  Indians,  who  was  determined  to  shoot  'em  down.  The  bullets 
splintered  the  wheels  of  the  gun,  and  sent  the  dirt  flying  right  and  left 
and  in  the  air.  A  ball  struck  Lieutenant  Hawthorne's  watch,  glanced 
off,  and  wounded  him;  but  the  youngster  pushed  the  gun  forward  and 
shelled  the  pockets  in  the  ravines. 

"That  boy  kept  it  up,  pushing  steadily  onward  and  sending  the 
shells  wherever  they  could  do  the  most  harm.  When  the  battle  was 
over,  he  was  found  wounded,  leaning  against  the  shattered  wheel  of 
his  gun,  too  weak  to  stand  erect.  Big  Foot  was  among  the  killed. " 

Brinton  was  so  interested  in  the  story  of  his  companion,  who  was  too 
modest  to  dwell  upon  his  own  exploits,  that  he  forgot  for  a  few  minutes 
his  own  situation  and  the  absence  of  his  family.  With  only  a  brief  com 
ment  on  what  had  been  told  him,  he  said,  starting  up— 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  77 

"But,  Nick,  what  have  I  been  thinking  of?  Here  the  morning  is 
fully  come  and  I  have  not  learned  anything  of  mother,  father,  and 
Edith.  How  could  I  forget  them  so  long?" 

"It  was  my  fault  more  than  yours,"  replied  Jackson;  "there's  noth 
ing  to  be  made  by  staying  here;  let's  ride  out  of  the  gully  and  look 
around.  I've  had  a  bite,  and  have  something  left  over;  will  you  have 
it,  Brint?" 

"Not  just  now,  thank  you,"  replied  Brinton,  as  he  rode  side  by  side 
with  him  out  of  the  depression  where  he  had  spent  the  night. 

Reaching  the  higher  ground,  they  looked  over  the  surrounding 
country.  The  youth  gave  his  chief  attention  to  the  rear — that  is,  in 
the  direction  of  the  Big  Cheyenne,  for  he  believed  that  Wolf  Ear  and 
the  other  hostiles  were  not  far  off.  But,  if  so,  they  were  not  in  sight. 

The  scout,  however,  had  discovered  something  in  front,  and  at  a 
considerable  distance,  which  interested  him.  Shading  his  eyes  with 
one  hand,  he  gazed  intently  toward  the  north. 

"By  gracious!"  he  exclaimed,  "I  believe  that's  them." 

"Where?"  asked  the  boy,  eagerly. 

"I  don't  mean  your  folks,  but  that  wagon  train  with  supplies  from 
Rapid  City. " 

Brinton's  heart  sank,  for  his  hopes  had  been  high;  but  he  found 
some  consolation,  after  all,  in  the  declaration  of  the  scout. 

A  mile  away,  across  the  prairie,  a  party  seemed  to  be  preparing  to 
leave  camp.  At  that  distance  it  was  impossible  to  identify  them,  but 
Jackson  was  positive  that  they  were  the  train  in  search  of  which  he 
had  left  the  camp  at  Wounded  Knee. 

Brinton's  hope  was  that  his  parents  were  with  them.  It  would  have 
been  hard  for  him  to  explain  just  why  his  hope  was  so  strong  in  this 


78  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

respect,  but  it  seemed  reasonable  to  suspect  that  the  light  of  the  camp 
had  attracted  their  notice  during  the  darkness,  and  that  they  had  gone 
thither,  after  finding  it  impossible  to  rejoin  him. 

The  real,  but  slight,  ground  on  which  he  based  this  fancy  was  that 
his  pony,  Jack,  had  been  found  while  he,  his  owner,  was  traveling  in  a 
direct  line  from  the  Big  Cheyenne  toward  the  camp.  Since  the  animal 
must  have  kept  company  for  a  time  with  the  other  two,  the  Kings- 
lands  had  continued  the  same  course,  and  might  have  descried  the 
twinkle  of  the  camp  fire. 

"I  myself  would  have  seen  it,  had  I  not  ridden  the  other  way  and 
gone  into  the  gully,  where  I  couldn't  detect  anything  a  dozen  feet 
away. " 

"Yes,  I'm  almost  sure  it's  them,"  added  Jackson,  after  further 
studying  the  camp;  "let's  find  out. " 

The  proposition  suited  Brinton,  and  the  two  headed  their  ponies 
toward  the  camp. 

Although  at  the  moment  of  starting  there  was  no  danger  in  sight, 
and  the  supply  train  did  not  seem  to  have  been  disturbed,  Nicholas 
Jackson  was  too  experienced  to  forget  every  precaution,  and  while  he 
studied  the  scene  in  front,  he  kept  glancing  back  toward  the  other 
parts  of  the  compass. 

It  was  well  he  did  so,  for  a  few  hundred  yards  only  were  passed 
when  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  in  which  no  excitement  could  be  noted : 

"It  looks  as  if  them  bucks  would  like  to  j'ine  our  company. " 

Brinton  glanced  back  and  saw  the  half-dozen  hostiles  with  whom  he 
had  had  his  stirring  experiences  the  night  before  dashing  towards  them 
from  the  direction  of  the  Cheyenne. 

There  was  no  need  to  engage  them  in  a  fight:  indeed,  it  would  have 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


It  became  apparent  that  the  pursuers  were  gaining. — Page  80 


80  WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 

been  the  height  of  imprudence  to  do  so.  Jackson  and  Brinton  were 
well  mounted,  and  they  instantly  struck  their  horses  into  a  run.  The 
Indians  shouted  on  perceiving  that  they  were  discovered,  and  they 
also  urged  on  their  animals.  Several  shots  were  fired,  but  the  distance 
was  too  great  for  them  to  have  any  effect. 

The  race  had  continued  but  a  little  while  when  it  became  apparent 
that  the  pursuers  were  gaining.  Jackson's  horse  was  doing  his  best, 
but  Brinton's  was  not.  He  could  draw  away  from  the  Indian  ponies, 
but  his  rider  held  him  back  to  keep  the  scout  company. 

The  chase  could  not  last  for  long,  for  the  camp  was  comparatively 
near  at  hand,  but  the  bucks  were  coming  up  alarmingly  fast. 

"There's  no  use  of  both  of  us  being  overhauled,"  said  Jackson; 
"ride  ahead  and  save  yourself." 

"  But  I  can't  desert  you." 

"Faugh!  don't  be  foolish;  you  can't  help  me  and  you're  sure  to  be 
shot  if  you  stay;  off  with  you!" 

"But  what  will  become  of  you  ?" 

'That's  nothing  to  you;  it  looks  as  if  I  must  bid  good-bye  to  you. 
Billberry  has  gone  lame,  but  I'll  make  the  best  fight  I  can,  and  if  I  go 
down,  some  of  'em  have  got  to  go  with  me. " 

Brinton  was  much  perplexed  what  to  do,  but  he  knew  the  question 
of  life  and  death  must  be  decided  within  the  next  few  seconds. 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN  81 


CHAPTER   NINE 

"HE     HAS    MADE     HIS    LAST    SCOUT" 

THE  perplexing  question  was  settled  by  Brinton's  pony  taking  his 
bit  in  his  mouth,  and  speeding  towards  the  camp  of  the  supply 
train,  as  if  driven  by  the  wind. 

The  youth  could  not  but  feel  conscience  smitten  at  this  apparent 
desertion  of  a  comrade  in  dire  extremity,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it. 
Besides,  Jackson  was  right  when  he  urged  Brinton  to  lose  no  time  in 
saving  himself,  since  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  help  the  imperilled 
scout. 

The  pursuing  hostiles  had  now  approached  near  enough  to  make 
their  shots  effective.  The  whistling  bullets  warned  Brinton  of  his  dan 
ger,  so  he  threw  himself  forward  on  the  neck  of  his  pony,  who  rushed 
ahead  with  arrowy  swiftness. 

The  clatter  of  hoofs  made  young  Kingsland  glance  to  his  left.  He 
saw  Billberry,  the  scout's  steed,  going  madly  on. 

He  had  been  touched  by  one  of  the  flying  bullets,  and  in  his  panic 
forgot  the  weak  leg  that  already  had  delayed  him  to  a  fatal  extent.  His 
desperate  burst  of  speed  brought  him  alongside  of  Jack,  whose  rider, 
to  his  amazement  saw  him  shoot  ahead  at  a  pace  which  none  of  his 
kind  could  surpass  and  none  there  could  equal. 

But  his  bridle-rein  and  stirrup-straps  were  flying  in  the  gale  caused 
by  his  own  tremendous  swiftness.  Brave  Nick  Jackson  had  been  shot 
from  the  back  and  was  fighting  his  last  fight. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


Brinton  Kingsland  tugged  at  Jack's  rein,  and  shouted  a  savage  com 
mand  in  the  same  breath.  The  pony  would  not  stop,  but,  slackening 
his  speed  described  a  circle,  which  brought  him  round  with  his  head 

toward  the  pursuers. 

Pierced  by  one  of  the  balls 
of  the  bucks,  the  scout  fell 
from  his  saddle,  but,  recov 
ering  himself  with  wonderful 
dexterity,  turned  about,  and 
with  levelled  Winchester 
bravely  faced  his  foes. 

The  shots  were  rapid  on 
both  sides,  and  those  of  Jack 
son  did  much  execution.  But 
his  fate  was  sealed  from  the 
first,  and  none  knew  it  better 
than  he. 

"  I  can't  stand  that ! "  mut 
tered  young  Kingsland,  the 
moment  he  succeeded  in 
facing  Jack  the  other  way. 
"I  have  already  played  the 
coward,  though,  heaven  knows,  I  couldn't  help  it." 

Something  of  his  daring  seemed  to  tingle  in  the  veins  of  his  pony; 
for,  now  that  he  was  urged  to  return,  he  headed  straight  for  the  group 
of  combatants,  and  shot  forward  at  full  speed. 

Meanwhile  the  members  of  the  supply  train  were  not  idle.  They 
had  descried  the  coming  of  the  two  horsemen  from  afar,  and  were 


With  levelled  Winchester  the  Scout  bravely  faced  his  foes 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  83 

quick  to  recognize  them  as  friends.  Had  there  been  any  doubt,  it 
vanished  at  sight  of  the  pursuing  Indians  behind  them.  Three  were 
in  the  saddle  in  an  instant  and  scurrying  to  the  relief  of  the  solitary 
man  fighting  for  his  life. 

Brinton  was  not  aware  they  were  at  his  heels.  He  mistook  the  sound 
of  their  horses'  feet  for  that  of  Jackson's  animal,  who,  he  supposed, 
had  turned,  aad  was  rushing  into  the  heart  of  the  peril,  as  his  kind  will 
do  when  forced  out  of  a  burning  building. 

The  first  warning  the  youth  received  of  the  true  state  of  affairs  was 
when  the  approaching  horsemen  fired  from  behind  him  at  the  group 
crowding  around  and  pressing  the  scout  so  sorely.  But  the  hostiles 
were  quicker  than  he  to  see  their  peril.  They  wheeled  hastily,  and, 
flinging  themselves  over  the  necks  of  their  poneis,  skurried  in  the 
direction  of  the  Cheyenne. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  American  Indians  to  carry  off  their  dead  and 
wounded.  The  latter  probably  looked  after  themselves  in  this  case, 
but  in  their  haste  the  two  that  had  fallen  by  the  hand  of  Nick  Jackson 
were  left  stretched  out  on  the  ground. 

An  extraordinary  incident  now  took  place. 

In  the  furious  struggle  one  of  the  hostiles  had  become  dismounted. 
Disregarding  the  fate  of  his  companions,  or  probably  seeing  that  the 
brave  scout  had  become  so  weakened  that  the  peril  no  longer  existed, 
he  leaped  from  the  back  of  his  pony  and  dashed  forward  to  give  the 
white  man  his  finishing  stroke.  Before  he  could  do  this,  the  relief  par 
ty  were  so  close  that  he  did  not  dare  to  tarry.  He  turned  to  remount 
his  pony,  but  the  animal  had  become  panic-stricken  in  the  flurry — it 
may  have  been  that  he  was  struck  by  a  bullet — and  was  galloping  ofl^ 


84  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

as  if  for  his  own  life.  Furthermore,  he  made  straight  for  the  camp  of 
the  supply  train,  so  that  his  capture  was  impossible. 

But  there  were  two  other  animals  that  had  lost  their  riders,  and  if  he 
could  secure  one  of  these,  he  might  yet  save  himself. 

They,  however,  were  galloping  among  the  others  riding  for  life  on 
toward  the  Big  Cheyenne.  The  bucks,  with  less  chivalry  than  the 
youth  had  shown  in  similar  circumstances,  gave  no  heed  to  the  peril  of 
their  dismounted  comrade,  but  sped  across  the  prairie  at  the  utmost 
speed  of  which  they  were  capable. 

Among  them  was  one,  who  seeing  that  the  whites,  instead  of  keeping 
up  the  pursuit,  had  halted  round  the  fallen  scout,  gave  a  little  thought 
to  their  comrade.  This  friend  would  not  turn  back  himself,  nor  did 
any  of  the  others  do  so,  but  with  the  palm  of  his  hand  the  former  smote 
one  of  the  riderless  ponies  across  the  eyes  and  shouted  a  command  in 
his  ear.  The  horse  checked  himself  with  a  cry  of  pain,  reared,  shook 
his  head,  and  then,  dropping  out  of  the  group  running  close  together, 
wheeled  and  trotted  toward  the  dismounted  Indian. 

The  latter  gave  a  thrilling  exhibition  of  running.  He  saw  that  his 
only  hope  lay  in  reaching  one  of  the  ponies  of  his  comrades  that  had 
basely  deserted  him,  since  to  undertake  to  recapture  his  own  animal 
must  take  him  into  the  camp  of  his  enemies.  He  therefore  exerted 
himself  to  the  utmost  to  overtake  the  party  before  the  whites  could 
overtake  him. 

Had  there  been  none  interested  besides  the  three  members  of  the 
supply  train,  all  would  have  gone  well  with  the  buck,  for,  as  we  have 
said,  they  gathered  around  the  fallen  scout  and  gave  their  whole  atten 
tion  to  him.  But  there  was  another,  who  resolved  that  this  miscreant 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


85 


He  saw  that  his  only  hope  lay  in  reaching  one  of  the  ponies. — Page  84 


86  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

should  pay  for  his  unpardonable  barbarity  to  a  brave  and  fallen  enemy. 
That  one  was  Brinton  Kingsland. 

Quick  to  grasp  the  situation,  after  rinding  himself  too  late  to  help 
poor  Jackson,  he  noted  the  solitary  Indian,  and  believing  him  to  be  the 
one  who  had  laid  the  scout  low  (though  if  he  had  not  struck  the  actual 
blow,  he  was  equally  guilty),  he  compressed  his  lips  and  muttered: 

"I'll  teach  you  a  lesson,  you  assassin!" 

The  redskin,  as  he  ran,  grasped  his  Winchester  in  his  right  hand  in 
a  trailing  position.  The  heavy  blanket  was  secured  at  the  throat  by 
some  fastening  that  held  it  in  place.  The  lower  portion  streamed  out 
over  his  back,  as  did  his  long  black  hair,  in  the  wind  created  by  his  own 
fleetness,  while  his  leggings  doubled  and  twinkled  so  fast  that  they 
resembled  the  spokes  of  a  swiftly  revolving  wheel.  He  was,  indeed, 
running  with  astonishing  speed. 

"Now,  Jack,  do  your  best!  There  isn't  any  time  to  lose,  and  you 
are  not  going  to  let  a  miserable  redskin  outspeed  you. " 

The  pony  flung  up  his  neck  and  away  he  went  with  arrowy  swift 
ness.  He  knew  what  was  wanted  of  him,  and  was  not  one  to  shirk  his 
duty. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  fugitive,  going  like  a  whirlwind,  for 
an  instant  turned  his  head  and  glanced  back.  Brinton  was  watching 
him,  and  saw  the  scowling  face  glaring  like  a  wild  beast  through  the 
thicket  of  flying  hair. 

" Great  heavens!    It  is  Wolf  Ear! " 

During  these  exciting  moments  the  youth  had  forgotten  about  the 
young  Ogalalla,  until  this  glimpse  of  the  well-remembered  features 
told  him  the  startling  truth.  The  shock  caused  him  involuntarily  to 
tighten  the  rein  of  Jack,  and  the  animal,  instantly  slackened  his  pace. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  87 

But  the  hesitation  was  for  a  few  seconds  only.  Brinton  felt  that  he 
ought  not  to  have  been  surprised  after  the  events  of  the  preceeding 
day  and  night. 

"He  deserves  death  more  than  any  of  the  rest,  for  his  knowledge 
has  been  greater  than  theirs  and  his  excuse  is  less.  I'll  run  him  down 
and  take  him  prisoner. " 

Again  he  spoke  sharply  to  Jack  and  twitched  the  rein.  The  noble 
animal  stretched  away  with  the  same  graceful  swiftness  he  had  shown 
from  the  first. 

But  the  Ogalalla  was  cunning.  He  had  seen  the  Indian  pony  as  it 
withdrew  from  the  rest  and  came  trotting  toward  him  in  a  bewildered 
way,  as  though  not  quite  understanding  what  it  meant;  but  if  the  ani 
mal  was  perplexed,  Wolf  Ear  was  not.  He  read  the  meaning  aright, 
and  saw  that  one  desperate  chance  remained.  If  he  could  hurl  him 
self  upon  the  back  of  that  same  steed  before  the  white  youth  overtook 
him,  the  prospect  was  good  for  his  ultimate  escape. 

Brinton  comprehended  everything  as  vividly  as  he,  and  did  not 
spare  Jack.  He  aimed  to  interpose  himself  between  Wolf  Ear  and  his 
pony,  and  thus  prevent  their  meeting.  Every  nerve  and  muscle  was 
strained  to  accomplish  that  end. 

Young  Kingsland  was  already  close  enough  to  shoot  down  the  fugi 
tive,  and  he  felt  he  deserved  to  be  laid  low,  but,  as  we  have  shown, 
such  was  not  his  purpose.  An  indefinable  dislike  to  slay  a  foe,  even 
though  ferocious  and  guilty,  prevented  his  firing  the  shot  that  would 
speedily  have  ended  all.  The  rest  of  the  hostiles  had  disappeared  over 
a  swell  of  the  plain  and  were  out  of  reach. 

Why  did  not  Wolf  Ear,  when  he  saw  he  could  not  reach  his  pony  in 
time,  halt  and  bring  his  gun  to  bear  on  his  fierce  pursuer  ? 


88  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

He  did.  The  cunning  fellow,  almost  within  reach  of  the  pony,  and 
at  the  moment  when  heart  his  was  beating  high  with  hope,  saw  every 
thing  frustrated  by  the  action  of  the  animal.  The  sight  of  a  person 
coming  toward  him  at  such  terrific  speed,  even  though  belonging  to 
the  race  to  which  he  was  accustomed,  was  too  disturbing  to  be  accepted 
with  serenity.  He  raised  his  head  as  he  came  to  a  halt,  surveyed  the 
bounding  figure,  and  then,  with  a  snort  of  affright,  wheeled  and  trotted 
toward  the  river. 

His  speed  was  much  less  than  that  of  the  Ogalalla,  but  of  necessity 
it  compelled  the  latter  to  run  farther  than  he  would  have  done  had  the 
beast  remained  stationary,  and  it  was  just  that  brief  interval  of  longer 
waiting  on  the  ground  that  told  the  Ogalalla  that  the  white  youth  must 
reach  him  before  he  could  overtake  the  pony. 

"  Surrender,  Wolf  Ear ! "  called  Brinton:    "you  can't  help  yourself. " 

Evidently  Wolf  Ear  held  a  different  opinion,  for  he  wheeled  like 
lightning,  and  leveled  his  rifle  with  the  reply: 

"That's  the  way  I  surrender!    Do  you  surrender! " 

The  action  was  so  sudden  that  Brinton  could  not  forestall  him.  He 
was  fairly  caught. 

It  was  however  far  from  Brinton's  thought  to  yield  to  this  startling 
command.  He  flung  himself  over  the  other  side  of  the  saddle,  so  as  to 
offer  as  little  of  his  body  as  possible  to  the  aim  of  the  miscreant.  He 
was  certain  he  would  fire  and  shoot  down  his  horse,  if  not  himself.  He 
waited  with  an  intensity  of  emotion  which  can  not  be  described. 

One  minute,  two  minutes  passed,  but  no  report  came.    Then  Brin 
ton  heard  the  suspicious  clatter  of  a  horse's  hoofs  aad  peeped  over  the 
spine  of  Jack.      He  was  in  time  to  see  Wolf  Ear  galloping  off  on  the 
back  of  the  pony.    With  inimitable  dexterity  he  had  secured  the  ani- 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  89 

mal  during  the  brief  interval  at  his  command,  and  was  now  going  like 
the  wind  over  the  prairie  after  his  departed  comrades. 

The  Ogalalla,  however,  was  not  too  far  away  to  shout  back  a  taunt 
and  the  words: 

"  Wise  young  man,  my  gun  was  not  loaded,  but  it  served  me  as  well." 

Then  he  whisked  over  the  elevation  and  vanished. 

There  was  no  help  for  it,  and  the  chagrined  Brinton  wheeled  and 
galloped  toward  the  group  whom  he  had  left  some  distance  behind  on 
the  prairie.  They  were  riding  slowly  to  the  camp,  supporting  a  form 
between  them.  Dreading  the  truth,  Brinton  held  back  until  the  others 
reached  the  camp.  Then  he  rode  forward  and  asked: 

"Was  Nick  badly  hurt?" 

"He  is  dead;  he  did  not  speak  after  we  reached  him.  He  was  a 
brave  fellow,  but  he  has  made  his  last  scout. " 

Brinton  sighed,  for  he  respected  and  loved  the  man  who  had  thus 
died  for  his  country. 

But  another  question  was  on  his  lips.  He  looked  around  the  camp, 
and  his  heart  sank  at  his  failure  to  see  any  of  the  loved  ones  whom  he 
was  so  hopeful  of  finding  there.  In  a  trembling  voice  he  put  the  query. 

The  answer  was  what  he  dreaded:  they  had  neither  seen  nor  did 
they  know  anything  about  them. 


90  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


CHAPTER  TEN 

"OH,    THERE     IS    WOLF    EAR!" 

IT  will  be  remembered  that  when  Brinton  Kingsland  dropped  to  the 
ground  in  the  gathering  darkness  to  check  the  crossing  of  the  Big- 
Cheyenne  by  the  Sioux,  whose  leader  had  met  him  in  midstream,  he 
called  in  an  undertone  to  his  parents  to  hasten  out  of  the  range  of  the 
flying  bullets;  he  repeated  the  command  to  his  pony  Jack,  who  obedi 
ently  trotted  after  them. 

The  father  and  mother,  at  this  time,  had  no  more  thought  of  sepa 
rating  themselves  for  any  distance  from  their  brave  son  than  he  had, 
but  two  causes  brought  about  the  singular  accident  already  referred  to. 

The  excited  words  of  Brinton  and  the  reports  of  the  guns  led  them 
to  think  the  danger  nearer  than  it  was.  As  a  consequence,  they  rode 
farther  than  was  necessary,  but  still  not  to  a  point  that  ought  to  have 
caused  any  difficulty  in  their  coming  together  when  prudent  to  do  so. 

Mr.  Kingsland's  pony  traveled  faster  than  that  of  his  wife,  thus 
placing  him  a  few  yards  in  advance.  The  gloom  had  not  yet  become 
deep  enough  to  prevent  their  seeing  each  other;  but  at  a  moment  when 
the  wife  was  about  to  ask  her  husband  to  stop,  she  was  surprised  to  see 
him  turn  to  the  left,  his  pony  struggling  up  the  bank  to  the  level  ground 
above. 

"  Why  do  you  do  that,  Hugh  ?"  she  called  in  a  guarded  voice,  but  at 
once  following  him. 

He  did  not  answer,  but  narrowly  missed  falling  out  of  the  saddle. 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN  91 

His  animal  continued  moving  away  from  the  riverbank  and  presently 
struck  into  an  easy  gallop,  which  rapidly  increased  the  distance  from 
the  stream. 

Mrs.  Kingsland  now  suspected  the  meaning  of  the  strange  action, 
and  urged  her  pony  beside  that  of  her  husband,  which  was  moving  so 
fast  that  she  was  obliged  to  travel  farther  than  she  supposed  before 
coming  up  with  him.  Then,  laying  hold  of  the  bridle,  she  brought  her 
husband's  pony  to  a  halt. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Hugh  ?  "  she  asked ;  "  are  you  ill  ?  " 

"Gracious!  what  have  I  been  doing?"  he  exclaimed,  in  turn  bewil 
dered,  and  looking  about  in  the  darkness. 

"  Why  you  have  been  trying  to  run  away  from  us, "  said  Edith  with 
a  laugh,  believing  the  whole  thing  to  be  a  joke  on  her  father's  part. 

"You  have  come  a  good  way  from  the  riverbank,"  replied  the  dis 
turbed  wife;  "I  tried  to  check  you,  but  could  not." 

"I  understand  now,"  said  he,  passing  his  hand  across  his  forehead, 
in  the  effort  to  collect  his  thoughts.  "  Just  after  we  started  a  faintness 
seized  me,  and  I  knew  nothing  until  this  minute.  I  don't  understand 
why  I  did  not  fall  out  of  the  saddle. " 

"I  saw  you  reel,  and  vou  must  have  come  near  doing  so.  How  do 
you  feel  now  ?  " 

"Much  better.  Strange  that  I  should  have  been  attacked  in  that 
manner;  but  I  am  sure  it  will  not  occur  again.  What  will  Brinton 
think?" 

"  I  have  heard  the  report  of  guns,  but  it  is  all  quiet  now. " 

"  I  feel  little  alarm,  for  they  will  not  dare  to  cross  while  he  is  guard 
ing  the  ford." 

"Is  he  not  in  danger?" 


92  WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 

"No,  he  is  lying  on  the  ground,  and  they  can  not  see  him;  he  will 
hold  them  at  bay  as  long  as  he  wishes. " 

"But  they  may  come  over  some  other  point  and  get  behind  him." 

"I  did  not  think  of  that,"  said  her  husband  more  thoughtfully;  but 
I  am  sure  he  will  not  stay  any  longer  than  he  ought.  It  won't  do  for 
us  to  go  back,  for,  if  the  Indians  do  cross  the  river,  we  shall  be  in  their 
path.  It  may  be  well  to  go  part  of  the  way  over  our  own  track,  so  as  to 
make  it  easier  for  him  to  find  us.  Come  on,  and  make  no  noise. " 

"But  you  are  not  taking  the  right  course,"  protested  the  wife:  "you 
should  turn  more  to  the  left. " 

"I  feel  almost  sure  you  are  wrong;  but  you  have  had  your  senses 
about  you  all  the  time,  which  is  more  than  I  have  had,  and  I  bow  to 
your  decision." 

"But,  mother,  you  are  not  right,"  interposed  Edith,  now  fully 
awake;  "you  should  go  that  way,"  and  she  indicated  a  route  entirely 
different  from  either  of  the  others — so  different,  indeed,  that  her  moth 
er  could  not  accept  it. 

"  No,  dear,  you  are  wrong, "  she  calmly  replied.    "  I  will  lead. " 

And  yet  there  is  reason  to  believe  the  child  was  nearer  right  than 
either,  and  had  her  suggestion  been  adopted,  much  of  what  followed 
might  have  been  averted. 

While  they  were  riding,  as  they  believed,  in  the  direction  of  the  Big 
Cheyenne,  Mr.  Kingsland  noticed  that  Brinton's  pony  was  not  with 
them.  His  wife  said  he  did  not  come  up  the  riverbank,  and  was  prob 
ably  waiting  for  Brinton  to  come  to  him.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the 
boy  was  wrong  in  his  supposition  about  Jack's  movements. 

By-and-by  the  time  came  when  Mrs.  Kingsland  saw  she  had  com 
mitted  a  sad  blunder,  and,  instead  of  approaching  the  river,  had  gone 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  93 

still  farther  from  it;  they  could  hear  nothing  of  its  flow,  and  were  thus 
lost  on  the  prairie.  Husband  and  wife  now  debated  what  was  best  to 
do,  and  it  was  found  when  each,  including  Edith,  named  the  supposed 
direction  to  the  stream,  they  were  as  widely  apart  as  before. 

"The  wisest  course  is  to  stop  trying  to  find  the  river,"  said  Mr. 
Kingsland,"for  every  effort  only  takes  us  farther  away;  we  might  as 
well  go  into  camp  right  here." 

"And  freeze  to  death?" 

"  No,  we  will  ride  round  until  we  find  some  shelter  from  this  cutting 
wind,  and  then  make  ourselves  as  comfortable  as  we  can  until  morn 
ing.  Do  you  see  that  light  away  to  the  south  ?" 

That  which  the  ranchman  saw  was  the  glow  which  had  attracted 
Brinton's  notice.  The  latter  saw  it  in  its  true  direction — that  is,  in  the 
northern  horizon,  from  which  the  bewilderment  of  his  parents  will  be 
evident. 

In  the  hope  of  finding  their  way  to  the  river  the  couple  acted  upon 
what  might  be  considered  a  compromise.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say 
that  every  yard  thus  traversed  increased  the  space  between  them  and 
Brinton,  who,  at  that  moment,  was  groping  blindly  in  quest  of  them. 

The  wanderings  of  the  stray  ones,  however,  were  fortunately  not 
long  continued,  when  the  ponies  of  their  own  accord  descended  a 
depression  in  the  prairie.  It  was  not  deep  or  well  protected,  and  was 
not  reached  until  after  they  had  passed  over  several  elevations,  but  they 
accepted  the  shelter  thankfully,  and  dismounted. 

The  three  were  cramped  from  their  long  constraint,  and  Edith  ran 
around  and  here  and  there  for  some  minutes  before  she  was  willing  to 
be  tucked  away  for  the  night.  Their  abundant  clothing  enabled  them 
to  get  along  much  better  than  might  be  supposed;  the  little  one  lay 


94  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

between  her  father  and  mother,  the  ponies  being  allowed  to  stay  by 
themselves.  As  in  Brinton's  case,  the  long  wintry  night  passed  with 
out  disturbance  or  incident. 

With  the  coming  of  the  daylight  Mr.  Kingsland  roused  himself,  and 
seeing  his  wife  and  child  were  still  sleeping,  he  did  not  awake  them, 
but  took  the  best  survey  he  could  of  their  surroundings. 

The  weather  was  still  intensely  cold  and  the  sky  overcast.  A  look 
at  his  watch  showed  it  was  nearly  eight  o'clock  when  he  clambered  out 
of  the  depression  and  looked  about  him. 

The  first  discovery  to  cause  surprise  was  the  shelter  that  they  had 
enjoyed  during  the  night.  Instead  of  being  a  ravine,  like  that  where 
Brinton  had  slept,  this  was  a  rough,  irregular  excavation,  some  forty 
or  fifty  feet  in  diameter.  The  sides  sloped  gently,  the  whole  appear 
ance  being  that  of  an  immense  hole  left  by  some  great  explosion  of  gun 
powder,  to  which  a  providential  chance  had  guided  their  horses. 

The  husband  saw  no  sign  of  any  living  being  besides  those  with  him, 
nor  could  he  form  any  surmise  as  to  the  course  to  be  taken  to  effect  a 
meeting  with  his  son. 

"What  will  Brinton  think?  After  doing  so  bravely  the  work  I 
ought  to  have  done,  we  left  him  in  the  lurch.  We  are  as  much  lost  to 
each  other  as  if  in  the  depths  of  an  African  jungle  with  miles  interven 
ing.  I  can't  help  feeling  that  the  top  of  that  ridge  yonder  would  give 
me  a  view  that  would  disclose  something  important." 

He  debated  with  himself  whether  it  was  prudent  to  walk  thither  and 
obtain  the  coveted  survey.  It  was  little  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
distant,  and  it  did  not  seem  that  any  harm  could  come  to  the  loved 
ones  whom  he  would  leave  but  a  few  minutes. 

"I  must  manage  to  get  my  bearings  in  some  way  before  I  can  do 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  95 

anything.    The  sun  seems  to  be  off  yonder  behind  the  clouds,  but  it 
really  appears  to  me  as  if  it  were  in  the  wrong  place. " 

He  ended  the  doubt  by  striding  to  the  elevation,  rifle  in  hand.  Since 
his  faintness  of  the  night  before,  he  had  felt  better  and  stronger  than 
he  had  for  weeks,  and  this  fact  doubtless  had  much  to  do  with  the 
feeling  of  self-confidence  which  now  nerved  him. 

Reaching  the  crest  of  the  ridge  or  swell  in  the  prairie,  Kingsland  was 
disappointed.  The  same  kind  of  a  view  confronted  him  on  every  hand. 
He  experienced  a  repetition  of  that  sensation  which  often  comes  to 
one  in  his  situation:  if  he  could  only  pass  to  the  top  of  the  next  eleva- 
vation,  he  would  obtain  the  view  he  wanted. 

But  Hugh  Kingsland  was  too  wise  to  yield  to  the  prompting.  One 
precious  member  of  his  family  was  already  gone  he  knew  not  where, 
and  he  would  incur  no  risk  of  its  being  further  broken  up. 

He  was  roused  from  his  meditations  in  the  most  startling  manner, 
the  cause  being  a  rifle  shot,  undoubtedly  aimed  at  himself.  On  the 
summit  of  the  ridge  at  which  he  was  gazing,  and  almost  at  the  very 
point,  two  Indian  bucks  suddenly  walked  up  from  the  other  side  in 
plain  sight.  While  they  were  ascending,  and  when  only  their  heads 
and  waists  showed,  one  of  them  brought  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  and 
tried  his  skill  on  the  white  man  across  in  the  valley-like  depression. 

Mr.  Kingland  did  not  tarry  long  enough  to  reply,  but  hurried  back 
to  the  hollow  where  he  had  left  his  wife  and  child.  They  had  awak 
ened,  but  were  not  alarmed  at  his  absence,  the  wife  suspecting  the 
cause.  She  had  brought  out  what  was  left  of  the  lunch,  and  she  and 
Edith  were  calmly  eating  when  he  reappeared,  his  looks  and  manner 
showing  that  he  had  made  some  terrifying  discovery. 

He  quickly  explained  what  had  taken  place,  adding: 


96 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 


"I  am  in  doubt  whether  to  mount  the  ponies  and  start  to  flee,  or  to 
stay  where  we  are  and  try  to  fight  them  off. " 

"  You  saw  only  two,  and  they  were  on  foot. " 

"But  they  were  sure  to  have  ponies  near,  and  more  than  likely  more 

of  the  hostiles  are  within  call. " 
"Let  us  stay  here  until 
something  is  learned,"  said 
the  wife,  showing  admirable 
coolness  and  courage. 

Whether  or  not  this  was 
the  wiser  course  to  pursue 
remains  to  be  seen,  but  it  was 
followed.  Mr.  Kingsland 
crept  near  to  the  top  of  the 
hollow,  and  lying  extended  at 
full  length  against  the  sloping 
bank,  he  peered  over,  with  his 
rifle  ready  to  fire  at  the  first 
appearance  of  danger.  His 
position  was  such  that  he 
could  detect  the  approach  of 

Two  Indian  buck,  suddenly  walked  up  from  the  other  side,    any  OUC  from  that  side,  while 

his  wife  guarded  the  other  in  a  similar  manner. 

The  ponies  having  been  quieted,  Edith  was  cautioned  to  remain 
near  them,  and  to  avoid  exposing  herself  to  any  stray  shots  that  might 
l>e  fired.  As  long  as  she  kept  at  the  bottom  of  the  hollow  with  the  ani 
mals,  she  and  they  were  safe. 

A  full  hour  passed  without  the  least  sign  of  the  hostiles.    A  less  expe- 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  97 

rienced  person  might  have  accepted  this  evidence  that  the  danger  was 
over;  but  when  a  second  hour  had  worn  away  with  the  same  quietness 
everywhere,  the  husband  and  wife  still  maintained  their  watchfulness. 

The  forenoon  was  half  gone  before  this  vigilance  was  rewarded. 
Mrs.  Kingsland  called  to  her  husband  that  there  was  something  suspi 
cious  in  front  of  her;  and  pausing  only  long  enough  to  make  sure  that 
nothing  of  the  kind  was  immediately  before  him,  he  slipped  down  the 
hollow  and  up  the  opposite  side  of  the  slope  to  her. 

"Where  is  it?"  he  asked  in  an  undertone. 

"  Just  over  that  swell,  and  a  little  to  the  left." 

"I  see  him;  keep  down  out  of  sight!" 

He  placed  the  muzzle  of  his  Winchester  over  the  side  of  the  hollow 
took  careful  aim  at  the  rough  head  that  had  risen  a  few  inches  above 
the  slight  swell  in  the  prairie,  and  let  fly.  The  aim  was  perfect,  as  was 
shown  by  the  instant  disappearance  of  the  crown  and  the  cry  which 
from  behind  the  elevation  sounded  if  as  farther  off. 

Instantly  three  or  four  replies  came  from  other  points  along  the 
swell,  and  the  bullets  chipped  the  dirt  about  the  face  of  Kingsland, 
who  ducked  his  head  out  of  range.  Knowing,  however,  how  much 
depended  on  his  concealing  his  weakness  from  the  hostiles,  he  fired 
four  shots  quickly,  without  special  aim,  and  with  no  expectation  of 
accomplishing  anything  execpt  that  named. 

"  If  I  can  make  them  think  there  are  half  a  dozen  rifles  here  on  guard 
they  will  be  careful  about  attacking.  But  they  mustn't  know  how 
weak  we  are." 

"I  don't  think  that  we  are  so  weak  in  this  hollow,  and  with  that 
repeating  gun,  and  you  feeling  so  strong  and  well.v 

At  this  juncture  a  cry  was  heard  from  Edith.   She  had  forgotten  her 


98 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 


father's  command  and  had  crept  up  the  slope  opposite:    " Oh,  there  is 
Wolf  Ear!" 

Before  any  one  could  stop  her  she  sprang  up  the  bank  and  ran 
toward  the  ridge  where  her  father  had  first  seen  the  two  hostiles.  The 
horrified  parents  at  the  same  moment  saw  three  other  Indians  dash 
toward  the  innocent  child,  who  never  dreamed  of  her  peril. 


>\ 


^ 

"'•f'\ 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 


CHAPTER  ELEVEN 

"I'M   OFF!     GOOD-BYE   !" 

THOUGH  his  brave  companion  had  fallen  almost  at  his  side 
Brinton  Kingsland  had  reached  the  camp  of  the  supply  train 
without  receiving  so  much  as  a  scratch.  He  mourned  him,  for  he  was 
a  worthy  man;  but  he  was  heartbroken  at  his  failure  to  gain  tidings  of 
his  loved  parents  and  his  little  sister.  He  did  not  know  what  to  do,  and 
could  only  fear  the  worst. 

When  he  had  told  his  story  to  his  new  friends,  none  of  them  were 
able  to  offer  any  encouragement  or  hope. 

The  supply  train  consisted  of  a  dozen  wagons  in  charge  of  sixteen 
teamsters.  As  a  matter  of  course,  all  were  armed,  and  had  come  thus 
far  without  trouble. 

They  were  making  ready  to  resume  their  journey  to  Wounded  Knee 
when  the  affray  just  described  took  place.  This  caused  an  hour's 
delay,  and  now,  when  about  to  start  again,  the  signs  of  danger  became 
so  threatening,  they  held  back  for  consultation. 

The  Indians  whom  they  had  driven  from  the  prostrate  form  of 
Scout  Jackson  reappeared  on  the  crest  of  the  hill  over  which  they  had 
skurried,  and  it  was  noticed  that  their  number  was  increased  to  fully  a 
dozen. 

While  the  teamsters  were  watching  them  another  band  came  in 
sight,  in  the  opposite  direction. 

To  the  dismay  of  the  spectators,  this  party  was  more  numerous  than 


100  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

the  first.  Not  only  that,  but  both  bands  advanced  at  a  slow  trot,  and 
met  at  a  point  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  distant,  and  in  a  place  over 
which  the  train  would  have  to  pass  if  it  pushed  on  toward  the  camp  at 
Wounded  Knee. 

"Boys,"  said  Captain  Wadsworth,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  train, 
"there's  going  to  be  a  fight." 

"  We  ought  to  be  able  to  keep  them  off, "  replied  one  of  his  men. 

"  So  we  shall  if  no  more  appear;  but  the  Sioux  are  as  thick  as  berries, 
and  by-and-by  we  shall  have  a  hundred  or  more  of  them  popping 
away  at  us.  We  may  as  well  get  ready  for  what's  certain  to  come. " 

"Jackson  said  something  to  me,"  remarked  Brinton,  "about  an 
escort  having  been  sent  out  from  Wounded  Knee  to  bring  you  in. " 

"They  can't  come  any  too  soon,"  responded  the  captain,  who  fully 
comprehended  the  peril;  "  but  I'm  afraid  they  will  be  too  late.  Those 
Indians  don't  let  the  grass  grow  under  their  feet. " 

The  leader  did  not  content  himself  with  talking,  but  began  to  pre 
pare  for  the  attack,  which  might  come  at  any  moment.  The  wagons 
were  drawn  up  in  a  circle,  in  the  middle  of  which  were  placed  the 
horses.  Bags  of  grain,  boxes  and  bundles,  were  plied  on  the  ground 
underneath  the  wagons.  These  made  an  additional  protection  for  the 
animals,  and  screened  the  men,  when  kneeling  'behind  and  firing  at 
their  assailants. 

The  hostiles  were  quick  to  detect  what  was  going  on,  and  did  not 
allow  the  work  to  be  completed  without  interference.  They  began 
circling  back  and  forth,  riding  entirely  around  the  camp  and  discharg 
ing  their  guns  at  it.  The  exhibition  of  horsemanship  was  a  fine  one; 
but  they  kept  at  such  a  distance  that  their  shots  did  little  damage.  In 
some  way,  one  got  through  the  entrenchments,  as  they  might  be  called, 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


101 


"Oh,  there  is  Wolf  Ear!"— Page  98 


102  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

and  slightly  wounded  a  horse  in  the  shoulder.  He  made  more  fuss 
than  if  it  had  gone  through  his  head,  rearing,  snorting,  and  plunging, 
and  throwing  the  rest  into  a  panic,  which  would  have  ended  in  a  stam 
pede,  had  they  not  been  guarded  with  unusual  care. 

The  teamsters  did  not  accept  these  unwelcome  attentions  meekly, 
but  fired  at  their  circling  assailants;  the  cause  named,  however,  pre 
vented  much  success.  It  looked  as  if  one  or  two  of  the  shots  inflicted 
damage,  but  not  to  the  extent  of  disabling  any  pony  or  his  rider. 

Standing  near  the  rear  of  one  of  the  wagons,  where  he  could  see  all 
that  was  going  on,  Captain  Wadsworth  watched  the  exciting  incidents. 
At  his  elbow  was  Brinton  Kingsland,  who  did  not  think  it  worth  while 
to  try  his  hand  with  his  Winchester,  though  the  others  were  continually 
cracking  around  him. 

"What  is  to  be  feared,"  said  the  captain,  "is  that  the  hostiles  will 
soon  increase  to  such  an  extent  that  they  will  overwhelm  us. " 

"How  many  do  you  think  are  out  there  now?"  inquired  Brinton. 

"I  should  say  between  twenty  and  thirty — that  is,  there  were  a  few 
minutes  ago,  but  there  are  five  or  six  less  now. " 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  that?" 

The  leader  turned  his  bronzed  face  toward  the  youth  and  smiled 
significantly. 

"Don't  you  catch  on?  They  have  sent  after  reinforcements.  A 
slight  number  now  means  a  big  number  pretty  soon. " 

"Have  you  noticed  those  bucks  on  the  top  of  the  ridge  yonder?" 

Captain  Wadsworth  looked  in  the  direction  named.  Three  Indian 
bucks  had  dismounted,  and  were  standing  close  together,  or  rather 
two  of  them  were,  while  the  third  seemed  to  be  stooping  and  busy  with 
something  on  the  ground. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  103 

"  How  long  have  they  been  there  ?  "  asked  the  leader. " 

"They  rode  up  the  slope  within  the  last  five  minutes.  They  were 
off  their  ponies  before  they  stopped.  I  can't  guess  what  they  are  try 
ing  to  do. " 

"I  don't  know,  but  we  shall  soon  learn/' 

Although  the  cracking  of  rifles  continued,  and  the  teamsters,  kneel 
ing  behind  the  fortifications  were  doing  their  utmost  to  pick  off  some 
of  the  dusky  riders  who  in  turn  sent  in  their  dropping  shots,  Captain 
Wadsworth  gave  them  little  heed.  The  position  of  himself  and  Brin- 
ton  were  exposed,  and,  had  their  assailants  come  closer,  they  would 
not  have  dared  to  maintain  it;  but  with  the  combatants  so  widely  sepa 
rated,  it  can  not  be  said  they  were  in  much  real  danger. 

The  three  Indians  in  whom  our  friends  were  so  much  interested  just 
then  were  beyond  and  apart  from  the  others.  Their  horses  were  crop 
ping  the  few  blades  of  withered  grass  that  had  survived  the  winter's 
tempests;  but  not  one  was  a  dozen  yards  from  his  master,  all  of  whom 
were  so  grouped  together  that  their  movements  could  not  be  identified. 

Rather  curiously  there  was  not  a  spy-glass  among  the  teamsters, 
such  an  article  would  have  been  invaluable  just  then;  but  they  had  to 
depend  upon  their  unaided  vision. 

The  captain  and  Brinton,  however,  agreed  that  two  of  the  bucks 
were  bent  over  and  busy  with  something  on  the  ground,  while  the 
third,  standing  on  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  appeared  to  be  awaiting  the 
action  of  his  companions  before  carrying  out  some  plan  he  had  in  mind. 

"Look!"  whispered  the  youth;  "isn't  that  smoke?" 

The  captain  was  silent  a  moment  before  answering. 

"Yes;  the  Indian  is  like  the  Chinaman.  He  can  start  a  fire  where 
you  and  I  could  not  kindle  a  spark.  I  believe  they  will  make  a  bundle 


104  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 

of  water-soaked  leaves  crackle  and  burn  like  tinder  wood.  Those  fel 
lows  have  got  some  of  the  dried  grass  together  and  have  managed  to 
touch  it  off.  You  understand  what  that  means,  of  course  ?  " 

"I  can  not  say  that  I  do." 

"It  is  a  signal  fire." 

"Kindled  for  what  purpose?" 

"  To  call  all  the  other  hostiles  in  sight  here,  to  take  a  hand  in  the  fun 
of  massacring  us  and  plundering  our  train.  Such  a  signal  can  be  seen 
a  long  way  and  will  do  all  that  is  intended.  Look  at  it  now ! " 

From  between  the  two,  who  now  rose  from  their  stooping  posture,  a 
thin  finger  of  vapor  arose,  going  straight  upward  as  if  it  were  a  sha 
dowy  arrow  aimed  at  the  clouds. 

"One  of  the  bucks  is  waving  his  blanket,"  observed  Brinton;  "he 
must  mean  something  by  that.  I  suppose  he  is  fanning  the  blaze  to 
keep  it  from  going  out. " 

"  No;  look  at  that  thin  line  of  smoke;  don't  you  see  something  rather 
peculiar?" 

"Ah,  I  notice  it  now." 

The  vapor  showed  a  striking  change  of  appearance;  instead  of 
climbing  in  a  straight  line,  it  now  waved  gracefully  from  side  to  side. 
It  was  something  which  never  can  occur  unless  with  the  help  of  some 
person. 

'That  is  the  signal,"  said  Captain  Wadsworth;  "it  can  be  seen  for 
miles  in  all  directions,  and  every  Indian  eye  that  catches  sight  of  it 
will  read  its  meaning  as  plainly  as  our  soldiers  do  the  looking-glass  sig 
nals.  It's  a  bad  thing  for  us." 

The  captain  was  an  old  campaigner,  and  knew  what  he  was  talking 
about;  his  impressive  manner  was  not  lost  upon  Brinton  Kingsland. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


105 


"  How  far  are  we  from 
Wounded  Knee?"  he 
asked. 

"Anywhere  from  a 
dozen  to  twenty  miles;  it 
depends  on  the  course  we 
take — that  is,"  he  add 
ed,  with  a  shake  of  his 
head,  "whether  we  ever 
take  any  course  at  all." 

"I  can  not  recall  just 
what  Jackson  said  about 
an  escort  from  that  camp, 
but  I  think  he  told  me 
such  an  escort  had  been 
sent." 

The  captain  shook  his 
head. 

;<  You  must  be  mistak 
en;  for,  if  that  were  the 
case,  why  did  he  ride 

OUt  here   alone  ?      Was    it  The  vapor  showed  a  striking  change  of  appearance. 

not  more  likely  that  he  came  to  learn  whether  we  needed  protection  ? 
If  that  is  so,  they  will  wait  for  his  return  and  report  before  sending 
out  the  escort  which  is  the  only  thing  that  can  save  us. " 

This  view  was  so  reasonable  that  Brinton  could  not  combat  it. 

"  I  see  one  chance, "  ventured  the  youth,  after  a  moment's  silence, 
during  which  he  watched  the  actions  of  the  signal  corps  on  the  ridge. 


106  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

The  officer  turned  wonderingly  toward  him. 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  what  it  is." 

"If  a  messenger  can  get  through  to  Wounded  Knee  with  word  of 
your  extremity,  they  will  send  you  help  without  delay." 

'  True;  but  how  can  such  a  thing  succeed  ?  If  it  were  night  it  might 
be  done,  but  in  what  possible  way  can  a  horseman  dash  through  the 
lines  when  the  bucks  would  see  him  start,  and  they  have  surrounded 
us?" 

"It  will  be  taking  big  risks  ,  but  I  would  like  to  try  it." 

Captain  Wads  worth,  who  had  been  leaning  against  the  hind  wheel 
of  one  of  the  wagons,  with  his  arms  folded,  abruptly  straightened  up 
and  stared  at  the  youth,  as  if  uncertain  whether  he  had  heard  him 
aright;  then  he  repeated: 

;<  You  would  like  to  try  it,  did  you  say?" 

'Yes,  sir;  and  I  believe  I  could  get  through." 

The  officer  looked  off  toward  the  ridge  and  shook  his  head. 

"Don't  think  of  such  a  thing;  we  must  stay  here  and  fight  it  out, 
and  trust  to  Providence  to  open  the  way,  if  any  is  to  be  opened. " 

But  Brinton  was  in  earnest,  and  his  eagerness  was  increased  by  the 
discouraging  manner  of  the  captain. 

"I  understand  your  feelings,  and  I  am  not  blind  to  what  is  in  the 
path  of  the  one  who  attempts  to  do  what  I  have  proposed ;  but,  captain 
bear  two  things  in  mind:  there  isn't  a  fleeter  horse  in  the  whole  West 
than  my  Jack.  When  I  gave  him  rein  he  pulled  away  from  those  Indi 
ans  as  though  their  animals  were  walking.  So  all  I  have  to  do  is  to 
get  a  fair  start. " 

"  Exactly, "  replied  the  leader,  with  a  crim  smile,  "  and  therein  you 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 


107 


"I'm  off!    Good  bye!"—  Page  109 


108  WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 

sum  up  the  whole  business.    All  that  you  need  to  succeed  is  to  succeed. 
But  what  is  the  other  point  you  wish  me  to  hold  in  mind  ?" 

"That  a  fair  start  can  be  secured." 

"How?" 

"Pretend  to  ride  out  against  the  hostiles.  They  will  gather  in 
front  of  the  threatened  point.  I  will  be  on  the  watch,  and,  when  the 
way  opens,  will  scoot  for  Wounded  Knee. " 

Brinton  saw  that  Captain  Wadsworth  was  interested.     Once  more 
he  came  to  the  erect  position,  and  looking  kindly  into  his  face,  said: 
'Your  plan  has  something  in  it." 

The  youth's  heart  leaped  with  hope. 

"I  am  sure  of  it;  but  there's  not  a  minute  to  lose. " 

This  was  self-evident,  and  the  captain,  having  made  up  his  mind, 
passed  among  his  men  and  hurriedly  explained  what  he  had  decided 
to  do.  It  was  for  eight  or  ten  of  them  to  mount  their  horses  and  move 
cautiously  toward  the  ridge,  as  if  with  the  intention  of  attacking  the 
little  signal  party  there  and  stamping  out  their  tiny  fire.  This  would 
cause  a  concentration  (or,  more  properly,  it  was  hoped  that  it  would) 
of  the  hostiles  on  that  side  of  the  camp,  of  which  Brinton  Kingsland 
would  take  advantage  by  dashing  out  on  the  other  side  and  riding  at 
full  speed  to  Wounded  Knee. 

It  was  the  only  thing  that  offered  hope,  and,  therefore,  was  eagerly 
accepted  by  all.  The  firing  was  so  scattered  that  no  fear  was  felt  in 
moving  about  within  the  circle  of  wagons,  for,  as  has  been  shown, 
Captain  Wadsworth  and  Brinton  had  been  exposed  all  the  time  with 
out  harm.  The  Sioux  kept  so  far  away  that  it  was  evident  they  were 
waiting  for  the  arrival  of  reinforcements  before  making  a  real  attack. 

The  preparations  on  the  part  of  the  teamsters  had  hardly  begun 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN  109 

when  Brinton,  who  had  led  his  pony  forth  and  stood  ready  to  leap 
into  the  saddle,  called  out: 

"You  needn't  do  it.    Here's  my  chance!" 

The  most  of  the  Indians  were  near  the  ridge  at  that  moment,  but 
some  of  them  were  quite  a  distance  off,  and,  in  fact,  alarmingly  close 
to  the  opposite  side  of  the  camp.  The  impatient  youth  was  confident 
that  he  could  dash  through  the  opening  before  they  could  stop  him. 

"It  won't  do!"  protested  Captain  Wadsworth;  "don't  try  it!  wait 
till  we  get  them  nearer  the  ridge ;  they  will  cut  you  off — 

"I'm  off!   Good-bye!" 

Brinton  Kingsland  was  in  the  saddle,  and  shot  out  from  among  the 
wagons  like  -  a  thunderbolt. 


110  WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN 


CHAPTER  TWELVE 

WHAT     HAPPENED     TO     WOLF     EAR 

GOOD  fortune  attended  the  daring  attempt  of  Brinton  Kingsland. 
By  a  providential  occurrence,  most  of  the  hostiles  were  on  the 
side  of  the  supply  camp,  in  the  direction  of  the  ridge  from  whose 
crest  the  signal  smoke  was  ascending,  when  the  youth,  dexterously 
guiding  his  pony  through  the  wagons  that  were  all  about  him,  quickly 
cleared  himself  of  all  obstacles. 

"Now,  Jack,  old  boy,  do  your  best!  Never  was  there  greater  need 
of  it." 

The  intelligent  creature  thrust  his  nose  forward,  and  was  off  like  a 
shot.  He  knew  what  was  wanted,  and  nobly  responded  to  the  call 
upon  his  fleetness.  The  teamsters  forgot  all  about  the  Indians,  and 
fixed  their  gaze  upon  the  youth. 

He  was  fully  a  hundred  yards  from  camp  before  the  Sioux  compre 
hended  what  had  been  done,  Then,  when  they  saw  the  messenger 
dashing  over  the  plain,  fully  a  dozen  of  the  best  mounted  were  after 
him  in  a  flash,  discharging  several  of  their  guns  at  the  moment  of 
starting.  Brinton  was  seen  to  thunder  up  the  incline  of  the  first  swell, 
sitting  firmly  in  his  saddle,  and  instantly  disappeared  over  the  crest. 
A  minute  later,  the  foremost  two  of  the  pursuers  skimmed  up  the  same 
incline  just  as  the  lad  shot  into  sight  on  the  summit  of  the  next  eleva 
tion,  instantly  whisking  out  of  view  over  that,  while  his  superb  horse 
continued  his  arrowy  flight  toward  Wounded  Knee.  Then  the  excited 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN  111 

and  hopeful  teamsters  could  see  no  more,  and  all  but  the  foremost  two 
of  the  pursuers  gave  up  the  chase  and  came  straggling  back  to  join 
their  comrades  in  the  attack  on  the  camp.  They  knew  that  the  result 
of  the  flight  of  the  messenger  would  be  to  bring  help,  and,  if  anything 
was  to  be  accomplished,  it  must  be  before  it  could  arrive. 

And  so  the  attack  on  the  camp  was  begun  at  once,  and  with  a  fierce 
ness  that  speedily  brought  a  crisis. 

Meanwhile,  Brinton  Kingsland  was  going  writh  undiminished  speed 
over  the  prairie,  skimming  up  the  inclines  and  down  the  slopes  at  a 
break-neck  pace,  and  with  every  nerve  of  his  splendid  steed  strained 
to  the  highest.  The  rider  heard  the  dull  report  of  the  rifles  that  were 
fired  at  him,  but  the  distance  was  too  great  to  cause  alarm,  and  he  did 
not  even  hear  the  singing  of  the  bullets,  so  wide  went  they  of  the  mark ; 
but  the  glance  cast  over  his  shoulder  showed  that  he  had  only  two 
pursuers  to  fear. 

It  was  easy  to  compare  their  speed  with  his,  and  less  than  half  a 
mile  was  passed,  when  all  doubt  vanished.  They  had  been  thrown  a 
hundred  paces  to  the  rear  and  were  losing  ground  every  minute. 

At  the  instant  of  shooting  up  one  of  the  slopes  and  disappearing 
over  the  crest,  Brinton  snatched  off  his  cap  and  swung  it  over  his  head 
with  a  joyous  shout. 

" Hurrah,  Jack!  they're  not  in  it  with  you;  you  can  take  it  more  easi 
ly  now." 

Nevertheless,  the  speed  of  the  pony  was  maintained  for  a  brief  time 
until  it  became  certain  that  his  two  pursuers  had  given  up  the  attempt 
to  overtake  him,  and  had  gone  to  wreak  their  fury  on  the  imperiled 
teamsters  before  help  could  reach  them.  Then  Brinton  made  Jack 
drop  to  a  pace  which  he  could  continue  for  hours  without  fatigue. 


WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

The  youth  knew  the  course  to  follow  to  reach  the  camp  at  Wounded 
Knee  Creek,  and  he  calculated  that  he  could  readily  cover  the  ground 
in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  so. 

He  was  too  sensible,  however,  to  imagine  that  an  open  and  uninter 
rupted  course  lay  before  him.  At  that  time  the  country  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  Bad  Lands,  the  reservations  and  the  space  between,  was 
overrun  with  hostiles,  as  eager  as  so  many  jungle  tigers  to  slay  settlers, 
small  squads  of  soldiers,  and  all  the  white  people  whom  it  was  safe  to 
attack.  He  was  liable  to  encounter  some  of  these  bands  at  any  moment 
and  only  by  continual  vigilance  could  he  avoid  running  into  the  cun 
ningly  laid  traps  which  proved  fatal  to  scores  of  others. 

Now  the  burst  of  excitement  wras  over,  and  he  was  riding  at  a  less 
killing  pace,  his  thoughts  went  back  to  the  loved  ones  from  whom  he 
had  been  so  strangely  separated.  His  heart  became  as  lead,  as  he 
reflected  that  they  could  hardly  have  escaped,  considering  the  condi 
tion  of  his  father,  from  the  environing  perils  which  covered  the  miles 
of  territory  in  every  direction. 

"If  I  only  knew  where  they  were,  if  alive,  I  would  guide  this  escort 
from  Wounded  Knee  to  their  help— 

What  was  that  ?  Surely  he  heard  the  report  of  guns  from  some  point 
in  advance.  Jack  pricked  up  his  ears  and  increased  his  pace. 

"It  can  have  but  one  meaning,"  muttered  Brinton,  with  a  throb 
bing  heart;  " some  one  is  in  peril:  can  it  be  they  ?" 

He  reined  up  his  pony  and  stood  still  on  the  crest  of  the  first  eleva 
tion  he  reached,  after  the  ominous  sounds  fell  on  his  ears. 

At  that  moment  he  descried  coming  over  another  ridge,  a  furlong 
away,  a  troop  of  thirty  or  forty  cavalry,  riding  at  a  gallop  toward  him. 

"That's  the  escort  from  Wounded  Knee,"  wras  bis  instant  conclu- 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN  113 

sion.    "I  was  right  when  I  told  Captain  Wadsworth  that  Nick  Jack 
son  said  that  an  escort  was  on  the  way,  though  I  wasn't  certain  of  it. " 

But  evidently  the  firing  had  not  come  from  the  cavalry.  It  was 
from  some  point  between,  and,  instead  of  being  directly  in  front,  as  it 
at  first  seemed,  was  off  to  the  right,  where  he  observed  a  depression, 
with  several  dismounted  Indians  crouching  around  it. 

"Great  heavens!  it's  father  fighting  them  off,"  he  gasped;  "He's 
in  that  hollow  and  they  have  attacked  him. " 

He  struck  his  heels  against  Jack's  sides,  fiercely  jerked  the  bridle- 
rein,  and  shouted  to  him  to  run  at  his  best  straight  for  the  spot. 

But  the  approaching  cavalry  had  descried  the  same  thing  and  were 
nearer  the  hollow  than  Brinton  was.  They  turned  the  heads  of  their 
horses  and  struck  off  at  full  speed. 

The  assailing  Indians,  too,  had  discovered  their  danger,  and  were 
seen  skurrying  for  their  ponies,  waiting  near.  The  obedient  animals 
turned  until  their  masters  sprang  upon  their  backs,  when  they  dashed 
off  at  full  speed,  with  a  single  exception.  One  of  them,  forgetful  of  his 
danger,  or  determined  upon  revenge,  even  at  the  cost  of  his  life,  was 
observed  to  have  something  in  his  arms  as  he  held  his  ground. 

"It  is  Edith  that  he  is  about  to  kill;  maybe  he  has  already  hurt  or 
killed  her!  O  heaven ! "  groaned  Brinton,  "  is  it  too  late  to  save  her  ?  " 

Jack  was  tearing  over  the  ground  at  a  killing  pace,  but  he  could  not 
reach  them  in  time.  He  could  carry  his  rider  there  in  time  to  shoot 
down  the  Indian,  but  not  soon  enough  to  prevent  his  burying  his  knife 
in  the  innocent  heart. 

But  there  was  a  wonderful  sharpshooter  among  the  cavalry.  He 
saw  the  awful  peril,  and  throwing  his  horse  on  his  haunches,  brought 
his  gun  to  his  shoulder. 


114 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 


During  the  instant  it  was  at  a  level,  Hugh  Kingsland  dashed  out  of 
the  hollow,  bare-headed,  and  with  hair  streaming,  ran  toward  the 
Indian  and  his  little  girl.  One  pace  behind  him  sped  his  wife;  she 
was  seen  to  make  quick,  earnest  gestures  to  the  approaching  horsemen, 

/-e-C  "^  and  they  thought  it  an  ap 

peal  to  them  not  to  lose  a 
second  if  they  would  save 
her  child. 

At  that  instant  the  sharp 
shooter  pressed  the  trigger 
of  his  weapon;  the  Indian 
dropped  the  little  one,  threw 
up  his  arms  in  an  aimless 
way,  staggered  back,  and 
sank  to  the  ground. 

The  next  minute  the  troop 
thundered  up,  Brinton 
almost  among  them. 

"Are  you  hurt,  my  dar 
ling  Edith?"  he  called, 
ping  out  of  the  saddle, 
catching  her  in  his  arms,  pressing  her  to  his  heart  and  kissing  her; 
"  speak !  did  he  hurt  you  ?  " 

The  child  was  bewildered  by  the  great  confusion,  and,  without 
answering  her  brother,  looked  him  affrightedly  in  the  face. 
"Why,  Brint,  is  that  you?" 

*  Yes,  yes;  heaven  be  praised,  you  are  not  harmed!    Oh,  how  can  I 
be  thankful  enough  ?   And  father  and  mother!  what  a  blessed  sight!" 


Throwing  his  horse  on  his  haunchw, 
he  brought  hi,  gun  to  hi,  shoulder. 


WOLF    EAR    THE     INDIAN  115 

The  mother  gave  him  one  grateful  glance,  and  then  knelt  by  the 
fallen  Indian,  just  as  Edith,  slipping  from  her  brother's  grasp,  ran  to 
the  prostrate  figure  and  bent  over  it,  asking  in  a  voice  of  inexpress 
ible  tenderness: 

"What  is  the  matter,  Wolf  Ear?" 

The  young  Ogalalla  lay  on  his  back,  but  at  the  moment  the  child 
spoke  he  managed,  by  a  great  effort,  to  raise  his  head  and  rest  it  on  his 
hand.  He  had  not  spoken,  but  now,  fixing  his  dark  eyes  on  Edith, 
said  in  a  faint  voice: 

"Wolf  Ear  is  hurt!" 

The  troopers  sat  silent  on  their  horses,  looking  down  on  the  strange 
scene.  Hugh  Kingsland,  with  no  trace  of  his  illness,  stood  back  a  few 
paces  with  folded  arms,  gazing  at  the  moving  sight  and  trying  in  vain 
to  restrain  his  emotions.  His  wife  placed  her  arm  under  the  Ogalalla's 
head,  and,  resting  it  on  her  knee,  smoothed  the  black  hair  from  his 
forehead,  murmuring  words  of  sympathy.  Edith  covered  her  face 
with  her  hands,  and  sobbed  with  a  breaking  heart. 

Brinton  was  affected  at  the  sight  of  his  former  friend,  but  he  could 
not  help  saying: 

"Mother,  we  all  pity  him,  but  he  was  our  enemy;  had  he  not  been 
shot  at  that  moment  Edith  would  not  be  living  now. " 

"You  are  wrong,  my  son,"  she  replied  gently.  "Wolf  Ear  came 
forward  to  save  Edith. " 

"What  are  you  saying?" 

"He  was  with  the  party  that  attacked  us;  he  did  what  he  could  to 
restrain  them;  he  could  not  do  so,  and  he  ran  forward  to  join  and  help 
us  defend  ourselves  against  them.  Edith  saw  him  first  and  hurried  to 
meet  him.  He  caught  her  up,  and,  when  his  companions  would  have 


116  WOLF     EAR    THE     INDIAN 

harmed  her,  he  would  not  let  them  touch  her.  He  shouted  to  us  to 
have  no  fear,  that  he  was  our  friend.  At  that  moment  the  soldiers 
came  in  sight  and  the  other  Indians  made  off.  Wolf  Ear  knew  we 
were  saved,  and  so  he  stood  still,  with  Edith's  arms  around  his  neck. 
I  saw  one  of  the  soldiers  aiming  at  them  with  his  gun.  Your  father  and 
I  ran  out  to  shield  him.  I  shouted  and  motioned  to  the  soldier  not  to 
shoot,  but  he  did  not  understand  me,  and — this  is  the  sad  result  of  the 
dreadful  mistake." 

Wolf  Ear  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the  wondering  Brinton,  who,  walking 
forward,  and  stooping  down,  asked  in  a  choking  voice, 

"Is  this  all  true,  Wolf  Ear?" 

"The  words  of  your  mother  are  true." 

"  But  what  meant  your  course  toward  me  yesterday  ?  I  can  not 
reconcile  that  with  what  I  have  just  heard  ?" 

"  We  parted  friends,  though  I  told  you  I  was  an  enemy  of  your  race. 
From  the  moment  we  separated  I  have  done  all  I  could  to  find  your 
people  and  save  them  before  it  was  too  late.  Until  now  I  have  not  met 
you  since." 

"You  forget;  we  met  in  the  gorge  last  night,  and  only  this  morning, 
when  you  sought  the  life  of  Nick  Jackson,  I  chased  you  over  the  ridge 
in  the  effort  to  make  you  a  prisoner. " 

A  smile  overspread  the  dark  face,  and  the  head  swayed  a  single 
time  to  one  side. 

" Brinton,  you  are  mistaken;  the  Ogalalla  whom  you  met,  as  you  say, 
in  the  gully,  and  whom  you  sought  to  make  prisoner,  was  not  I — he 
was  my  twin  brother,  Young  Bear;  our  mother  can  hardly  tell  us  apart, 
and  I  have  taught  him  to  speak  English  as  well  as  I. " 

"Oh,  what  have  I  done!"  wailed  Brinton,  breaking  down  utterly, 


WOLF    EAR    THE    INDIAN 


117 


Is  all  this  tnie,  Wolf  Ear?"— Page  116 


118  WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN 

and  covering  his  face  with  his  hands.  "I  never  dreamed  of  this;  can 
you  forgive  this  dreadful  mistake?" 

"Yes,"  said  Wolf  Ear,  faintly,  "I  forgive  you;  I  forgive  the  soldier 
who  shot  me,  for  he  did  it  to  give  her  life. " 

He  wearily  closed  his  eyes,  but  opened  them  again  when  he  felt 
Edith's  chubby  arms  clasped  round  his  neck,  and  her  lips  pressed 
against  his. 

"Oh,  Wolf  Ear!"  she  sobbed,  in  tones  that  brought  tears  to  more 
than  one  eye  among  the  bronzed  troopers,  "do  not  die!  I  love  you, 
next  to  Brint  and  papa  and  mamma— 

Among  the  silent  troopers  touched  by  the  scene  was  the  sharpshooter 
who  had  brought  Wolf  Ear  low.  He  was  a  brave,  rugged  soldier,  but. 
like  most  men,  had  a  tender  heart.  He  had  not  spoken  for  some  min 
utes,  and  his  eyes  were  moist  as  he  swung  his  foot  from  his  stirrup  and 
over  the  haunch  of  his  horse  to  the  ground. 

"Jim  Budworth  don't  often  make  a  miss,"  he  said  in  a  broken 
voice,  "  and  I  didn't  miss  this  time,  but  then  I  didn't  aim  to  kill  him, 
and  I  don't  believe  I  did.  I  know  a  little  about  surgery  myself,  so  let 
me  take  a  look  at  Wolf  Ear,  as  you  call  him. " 

Wondering  at  the  words  of  the  sharpshooter,  and  hardly  daring  to 
hope  he  was  right,  all  watched  him  as  he  made  what  might  be  called  a 
medical  examination  of  the  sufferer.  The  bullet  had  struck  him  in 
the  side,  and  evidently  had  inflicted  the  wound  intended. 

"Injins  are  tough,"  remarked  Budworth,  "and  this  one  is  as  tough 
as  the  rest.  He  isn't  going  to  die.  Here,  Wolf  Ear,  try  this. " 

As  he  spoke,  he  held  a  flask  of  spirits  to  the  lips  of  the  young  Indian 
and  forced  him  to  swallow  some  of  it.  It  produced  an  immediate 
effect;  and  to  the  astonishment  of  every  one,  Wolf  Ear  assumed  a  sit 
ting  position  and  looked  around  with  a  smile. 


WOLF     EAR     THE     INDIAN  119 

"I  feel  better — much  better,  thank  you,"  he  said,  with  a  grateful 
look  at  Budworth. 

"  Of  course  you  do.  It  was  a  narrow  chance  for  you  and  no  mistake; 
but  all  you  want  is  careful  nursing,  and  I  reckon  Mrs.  Kingsland  here 
will  be  glad  to  give  it  to  you. " 

" Indeed  I  will,"  said  the  delighted  woman;  "there  is  nothing  that  I 
will  not  do  for  Wolf  Ear.  Can  it  be  possible  that  he  is  going  to  get  well 
after  all?" 

"  Of  course  it  is;  I  know  all  about  Injins. " 

"Oh,  I  am  so  glad!"  exclaimed  the  happy  Edith,  throwing  her 
arms  again  about  his  neck. 

"Easy  now,  easy  now,"  said  Budworth;  "don't  go  to  rolling  and 
tumbling  him  about  until  he  gets  a  little  stronger.  After  that  you  can 
handle  him  as  you  choose. " 

Wolf  Ear  rallied  with  amazing  quickness,  and  showed  all  the  hero 
ism  of  his  race,  when  he  was  helped  upon  his  horse,  and  the  party 
moved  back  to  the  supply  camp,  where  the  teamsters  had  succeeded 
in  driving  off  the  hostiles. 

The  Indian  was  given  an  easy,  comfortable  couch  in  one  of  the  wag 
ons,  and  some  hours  later  the  party  arrived  at  Wounded  Knee.  There 
the  sufferer  received  the  best  of  medical  attention  and  was  soon  able  to 
move  about  with  scarcely  any  pain  or  trouble.  His  recovery  was  rapid, 
and  only  a  slight  scar  remained  to  show  how  nearly  he  met  death  in  his 
efforts  to  save  his  friends  from  the  warriors  of  his  own  race. 

And  within  the  following  few  weeks  the  threatening  cloud  that  had 
overspread  the  Western  sky,  behind  which  the  blood-red  lightning 
gleamed  and  played,  dissolved,  and  gave  place  to  the  sweet  sunshine 
of  peace,  which,  let  us  pray,  may  continue  for  ever. 


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